COMPLAINT
Come now Plaintiffs Spencer Renck, Alyssa Jennette, individually and as next friends of
Knox Jennette, by and through counsel, and sue Defendant Bradley County, Tennessee, as
follows:
1. This case arises under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for Defendant’s deprivation of Plaintiffs’
2. The Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 (federal
County, Tennessee.
County, Tennessee.
Knox Jennette, a minor child. Renck and Jennette bring this action individually and as next friend
entity located in Southeast Tennessee and is a person for purposes of 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
8. The actions taken by the County against Plaintiffs as set forth herein were carried
out principally by Lieutenant John Stone, Detective Jerry Rogers, and Detective Daniel Marlow
(collectively, “the Actors”), with the assistance and involvement of Detective David Michaels,
Detective Rusty Bryant, Detective Chad Ownby, Detective Brandon Coffel, Detective Brent Myers,
Deputy Ken Ritenour, Lieutenant Mario Santos, Detective Dave Jones, Lieut. Douglas Towne,
Deputy Paul Singleton, Deputy Eduardo Choate, Deputy Chad Nave, and Sgt. Doug Graham.
customs, policies, and procedures intended or reasonably foreseeable to deny each plaintiff his
or her rights under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Each of the Actors was acting
under color of state law and was a final policy- and decision-maker with respect to the actions
10. Additionally, as to the claims set forth below pertaining to the County’s failure to
implement appropriate policies, procedures, and safeguards and to ensure appropriate training
protections, Sheriff Eric Watson was the final policy-and decision-maker with respect to those
decisions.
11. On May 22, 2018, Plaintiffs Renck and Jennette were asleep in their residence
located at 4040 Lynncrest Dr. NE, Cleveland, Tennessee, along with their four minor children.
12. At approximately 6:00 AM, Plaintiffs were jolted awake by the sounds of loud
explosions and crashes inside their residence, along with unintelligible shouting and cursing.
The source of these explosions was the Bradley County SWAT team which, at this predawn hour,
had used a battering ram to crash into Plaintiffs’ front door, ripping it from its frame, and then
proceeded to intentionally detonate at least three explosive devices designed to cause temporary
deafness and disorientation to the residents inside. Not only did the devices start small fires or
other heat-related damage where they exploded, their explosive force caused damage to nearby
13. Mr. Renck immediately felt his family was being attacked and under siege from
unknown intruders, so he grabbed his pistol and proceeded to move upstairs from his basement
bedroom. As he reached the basement stairs, the upstairs door opened and a flash bang grenade
was lobbed towards him. As he proceeded to raise his gun toward the source of the grenade, he
came to believe the person at the top of the stairs might be a member of law enforcement; most
fortunately, the officer at the top of the stairs likely did not see Mr. Renck’s firearm or else the
14. Mr. Renck immediately put his gun in his pants and proceeded to lie on the floor
while advising the officers handcuffing him that they were in the wrong house and that children
were present.
15. At the same time these events were occurring to Mr. Renck, his wife and kids were
awakened by the same explosions and by men appearing in their bedrooms carrying automatic
weapons.
attempting to serve was supposed to be executed at a home next door, having an address of 4030
Lynncrest Drive. Rather than Plaintiffs, the subjects of the arrest warrant were Monte Brewer
and Dennis Moore, both of whom are purported gang members who were wanted for first-
17. The intended house is unobstructed from the street, and the numerical address is
displayed prominently in white numbers affixed to a black mailbox positioned at the street.
18. Bradley County’s involvement in the raid was requested by the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Agency (“DEA”) following a months-long investigation into these individuals. Upon
information and belief, none of the employees of the Bradley County SWAT team had been
19. Upon information and belief, the affidavit used to secure the warrants was
20. Plaintiffs reasonably believe and therefore affirmatively aver that Bradley County
SWAT created the raid’s action plan the previous evening without anyone with personal
knowledge of the investigation – that is, DEA agents or Agent Watters – being present.
21. Plaintiffs further aver that no one from the DEA or Agent Watters was involved in
the raid such that they could reasonably direct the precise location for the SWAT Team’s assault
on the residence.
22. Plaintiffs reasonably believe and affirmatively aver that Lieut. Stone, (one of) the
highest-ranking member of the County’s Sheriff’s Department on the scene, decided at the last
minute that another member, Detective Daniel Marlow, would drive the deployment vehicle
whereas the action plan called for Lieutenant Stone to be the driver. The newly chosen driver
characteristics.
23. Upon information and belief, there was no new risk or circumstances leading to
this change but rather Detective Marlow simply asked if he could drive. Although Lieut. Stone
purportedly asked Marlow if he knew what house they were planning to raid, the change of plans
placed Lieut. Stone further behind several other SWAT Team members where he could not see
24. Additionally, upon information and belief, there was confusion as the deployment
vehicle approached a house. Marlow stopped in front of one house (believed to be the correct
one – i.e. 4030 Lynncrest) when someone from the rear of the vehicle yelled “keep going!,” which
25. Plaintiffs aver that the SWAT team was acting pursuant to a no-knock warrant.
Pleading in the alternative, even if the warrant was a traditional “knock and announce” warrant,
Defendant’s SWAT team did not adequately announce their identity or allow a reasonable time
26. As a result of the events of the predawn hours of May 22, 2018, Plaintiffs Renck
and Jennette began experiencing extreme fear, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, nervousness, and
related mental and emotional harm. Their young child Knox Jennette, who was almost seven
years-old, began experiencing nightmares, was scared to fall asleep, and showed ongoing signs
27. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution affords Plaintiffs protection and
security in their own homes against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.
28. The County engaged in a predawn military-like assault on Plaintiffs and their
residence, breaching the front door and utilizing flash grenades, as well as seizing each plaintiff
by handcuffing Renck face down on the floor and pointing multiple guns at each of them.
29. Defendant had no warrant, probable cause, or other exigent circumstance to enter
30. Defendant did not properly knock and announce their presence before storming
the house, which was unreasonable and not supported by probable cause or exigent
rights. See, e.g., Dickerson v. McClellan, 101 F.3d 1151, 1162 (6th Cir. 1996).
31. The Actors, all of whom were acting under color of state law, violated each
Plaintiff’s constitutional rights pursuant to the County’s customs, policies, and procedures.
Additionally, Sheriff Watson, failed to provide appropriate training to his department’s part-time
SWAT team officers, displaying a deliberate indifference to the likelihood that the precise
mistakes leading to the violations of Plaintiffs’ Fourth Amendment rights were certain to occur.
32. Mistaken raids by law enforcement officers have persisted for decades, and
numerous media outlets and court opinions have brought awareness to these circumstances.
The mistakes underlying these constitutional violations are often nearly identical. Therefore,
Defendant could foresee the precise sources and errors that could lead to a mistaken raid, as well
policies, and/or procedures were in effect and proximately caused the foreseeable violations of
a. Conducting raids without taking appropriate steps to ensure the proper person
characteristics (such as “white car in the driveway”) when more reliable and
definitive sources of information are available for raids that can be scheduled in
advance;
d. Agreeing to activate their SWAT team without requiring senior SWAT leadership
presence and wait a reasonable amount of time before storming a house; and/or
34. Additionally, Plaintiffs aver that Sheriff Watson failed to provide adequate
training and instruction to SWAT officers who serve in that capacity only part-time.
35. SWAT members are responsible for displaying and utilizing law enforcement’s
most aggressive tactics, equipment, and weaponry, so the failure to provide adequate training
demonstrates a deliberate indifference to the same foreseeable risks that proximately caused
Plaintiffs’ harm. Among the training Defendant could have provided its SWAT officers but did
d. Teaching members to recognize obstacles, risks, and conditions that increase the
36. Plaintiffs aver that Defendant’s failure to implement appropriate policies and
procedures about executing scheduled SWAT raids was itself a policy and custom that
demonstrated a deliberate indifference to the foreseeable harm Plaintiffs suffered. Among the
policies Defendant should have implemented but recklessly or deliberately did not, and which
proximately caused Plaintiffs’ harm, include but are not limited to:
a. Having photographs of the residence, and ensuring each member has sufficient
b. Identifying landmarks, utility poles, and similar fixed objects as they relate to the
residence’s location;
For example, the driver and passenger of the deployment vehicle could each be
required to verbally affirm certain identifying information, such as, “The subject
house is on Oak Street. I see the road sign showing we are turning on Oak Street,”
etc.
g. Requiring that the officer in charge or other senior team leader verify as close as
possible to the time of deployment the location, condition, occupancy, etc., of the
property to be raided;
h. Discontinuing a raid if any team member expresses doubt about the property’s
identity;
j. For nighttime assaults and/or raids where the most aggressive type of entry will
protocols – necessarily including the failure to create such policies and training – Sheriff Watson
was the final policy- and decision-maker. As to the other operational policies, procedures, and
customs of the SWAT team addressed herein (such as, the custom or policy of not properly
DAMAGES
38. Defendant proximately caused Plaintiffs’ harms and losses via its existing policies
and customs, as well as through its deliberate failure to implement policies, procedures, and
training protocols that would have eliminated the County’s foreseeable violations of the
39. Among Plaintiffs’ harms and losses are the physical damage to their property,
physical pain and suffering (Plaintiff Renck only), mental anguish, emotional suffering, loss of
WHEREFORE, based on the foregoing, Plaintiffs Spencer Renck and Alyssa Jennette,
individually and as next friend of Knox Jennette, respectfully pray for the following relief:
40. A declaratory judgment that Defendant violated their constitutional rights under
43. Non-pecuniary damages attributable to their physical pain and suffering (Plaintiff
Renck only), mental anguish, emotional suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, severe fright, and
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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
s/ Jesse D. Nelson
JESSE D. NELSON (BPR # 025602)
NELSON LAW GROUP, PLLC
10263 Kingston Pike
Knoxville, TN 37922
(865) 383-1053
jesse@NLGattorneys.com
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