Nationwide — Trina Martin, an African American woman from Atlanta, Georgia, and her then-fiancé, Toi Cliatt, are taking their case to the U.S. Supreme Court after FBI agents raided her home by mistake in 2017. Trina said the incident caused lasting trauma to her and her family. She is now fighting to reinstate her lawsuit against the U.S. government.According to the Associated Press, on October 18, 2017, FBI agents stormed Trina’s home before dawn, pointing guns at her and her Toi while her 7-year-old son screamed from another room. Minutes later, the agents realized they had raided the wrong house as they were looking for a suspected gang member who lived nearby. However, the emotional damage was done.
Trina filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in 2019, accusing the agents of assault, battery, false arrest, and other violations. But in 2022, a federal judge in Atlanta dismissed the suit, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision. The Supreme Court agreed in January to hear the case.
The central issue is whether citizens can sue the government for law enforcement mistakes. Trina’s attorneys argue that such lawsuits have been allowed since 1974, when Congress responded to wrongful raids. The FBI, however, says the agents did due diligence and that courts shouldn’t second-guess their actions.
After the raid, Trina and her family faced lasting trauma. She gave up coaching track
because the sound of starter pistols reminded her of the FBI’s flashbang grenade. Cliatt quit his trucking job due to insomnia. Their son developed anxiety and stress-related behaviors, and Trina says she still feels the emotional scars of not being able to protect her child.
The FBI’s mistake was later acknowledged, but the family never received compensation, even for property damage. Now, the Supreme Court will decide if they can hold the government accountable for its error.