A Louisiana man has filed a lawsuit against a local police chief, alleging violations of his First and Fourth Amendment rights. On January 22, 2025, James Alexander Scaggs filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against Daniel Thomas, the Chief of Police in Zwolle, Louisiana. The lawsuit claims that Scaggs was unlawfully detained and threatened with arrest while engaging in constitutionally protected activities as an independent journalist.
James Alexander Scaggs, a Marine Corps veteran and novice independent journalist, asserts that his rights were violated during an incident on June 17, 2024. Scaggs was conducting journalism activities at a Zwolle post office when he was allegedly trespassed by Chief Daniel Thomas for videotaping—a right protected under federal regulations for news purposes. According to the complaint, Scaggs was forced to identify himself under threat of arrest without probable cause or reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. "Journalism is not a crime," states Scaggs in his filing, emphasizing that photography and videotaping are constitutionally protected activities.
The plaintiff argues that these actions by Chief Thomas represent an unconstitutional attack on his journalism efforts and pose a threat to citizen-journalists nationwide. He highlights the importance of free speech rights in gathering information of public interest and accuses Thomas of retaliation for exercising these rights. The lawsuit cites multiple legal precedents supporting the right to record public officials on federal property and argues that the defendant's actions lacked any compelling governmental reason.
Scaggs seeks $1,050,000 in damages from Chief Thomas for violations across five counts under 42 U.S.C. §1983 and other statutes related to civil rights infringements. Additionally, he demands mandatory constitutional training for all current and future Zwolle police officers focusing on freedom of speech and press every six months. This case underscores ongoing tensions between law enforcement practices and journalistic freedoms in public spaces.
Representing himself pro se, James Alexander Scaggs has brought this case before Judge Daniel J. McCoy under Case ID 1:25-cv-00086.