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Judge Dismisses Lawsuit By Man Mistakenly Kept In Jail

PORT HURON (AP) — A man who was in jail for three days because of a records error has lost a lawsuit against Port Huron and St. Clair County.

Joseph Scott was driving with his ex-wife when he was stopped by Port Huron police for a seat-belt violation in 2013. The officer checked records and found that Scott was violating a personal protection order.

Coralee Scott told the officer that the order had expired and they were friends. But Joseph Scott still was kept in jail for three days — after being treated for a panic attack. Authorities learned that the expiration date was wrongly entered into a database.

Federal Judge Laurie Michelson says the arrest was "unfortunate." But in her decision Monday, she says authorities acted reasonably in carrying out their duties.

 

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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