In March of this year, Kutak Rock attorneys Alain Baudry and Amanda Cefalu served as pro bono co-counsel to file a lawsuit on behalf of the ACLU-MN against the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and the Coon Rapids Police Department for unlawfully arresting and jailing Myriam Parada in July 2017.

On July 30, 2018, Minnesota District Court Judge John R. Tunheim denied a motion by the Coon Rapids Police Department and Coon Rapids Police Officer Nicolas Oman to dismiss Myriam Parada’s lawsuit against them.

A press release issued by the ACLU-MN stated the following:

The court affirmed Parada’s right to argue that the Coon Rapids Police Department and Officer Nicolas Oman violated Parada’s Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights, as well as her rights under the Minnesota Constitution, when they discriminated against her based on her race and national origin and falsely arrested her.

“This decision alone is a win for our client, who will be able to fight for her rights in Federal Court,” stated ACLU-MN Legal Director Teresa Nelson. “Law enforcement agents are not above the law, and they cannot profile, discriminate, and unlawfully arrest and detain individuals. The discrimination that Parada experienced is cut from the same cloth as the discrimination fueling the cruel family separation at the border. Immigrants in Minnesota are part of our communities and we will fight to protect their rights.”

“We are gratified by the Court’s thoughtful, reasoned decision and look forward to vigorously prosecuting this case so that Myriam will receive justice,” stated Alain Baudry.