SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee businessman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against his local police department, claiming officers destroyed $850,000 worth of legal hemp flower, mistaking it for marijuana.
The lawsuit by Andrew Smith, claims that Sevierville, Tennessee police relied on outdated testing methods incapable of distinguishing between legal hemp and controlled substances.
That suit claims that despite Smith providing documentation proving the legality of the hemp, police held the product for months without proper storage, rendering it worthless.
Attorney Alex Little said,
The lawsuit seeks damages of more than $850,000, and calls for improved law enforcement training by the City of Sevierville.
The incident happened despite hemp being legal under federal law since 2018, and the criminal charges against Smith were dismissed by District Attorney Jimmy Dunn after several months.
Hemp may not be legal in Tennessee for long. A judge recently blocked a law that was to take effect in January until June that bans sales of hemp in the Volunteer State.
Read the full lawsuit below:
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee businessman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Sevierville Police Department after officers allegedly destroyed Read More
