The ACLU of Nebraska and attorneys Ronald Reagan and Richard Whitworth filed suit in the District Court of Douglas County on behalf of a Middle Eastern man who was pulled over and searched by members of the Douglas County Sheriff’s office.
Michael Omair is an American citizen and a Christian, but he was born in Jordan and his family was Muslim at one time. He became an American citizen over thirty years ago. In August 2008, Michael was driving from New York to Colorado to move to a new house and take up a new job in the limousine business when he was stopped by Douglas County Sheriff Deputy Edward Van Buren.
Michael was subjected to hours of questioning about his race and ethnicity. Though Michael is a Christian, a Qu’ran he has had from his childhood was destroyed when the officer tore pages from it. The damage to his car was so severe that the airbags would no longer function.
The lawsuit sought compensation by the Defendants for the damages incurred by Michael and a court order requiring training for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to eliminate profiling.
The case was dismissed in March 2017.
