Man Sues Police over Mistaken Arrest
As previously discussed, it can be a challenge to clear criminal records as many job seekers have found as they try to boost chances of getting a job in a tough market.
Now, imagine how much more difficult that becomes when your data is in the system because the police mistook you for someone else.
That's what happened in the mistaken arrest of Jacob Michael Bolton, a family man, who is engaged and has a daughter and two future stepchildren.
LivingstonDaily.com reports that Bolton is now suing a Michigan police officer assigned to an undercover narcotics team for false arrest. Police arrested in June on a warrant for delivery or manufacturing marijuana.
Unfortunately, they got the wrong Jacob Michael Bolton. In addition to the same name, the two share the same birth year and have mailing addresses in the same town.
The wrongly arrested Bolton spent a night in jail and was arraigned and released on a $10,000 personal bond. He showed up for an exam conference before a judge who finally set the record straight.
Still, Bolton and his family say they are concerned about the damage already done because his arrest and fingerprints are in the system.
The laid-off 24 year old says he is worried that prospective employers will decide not to hire him based on the record of his mistaken arrest.
Typically, search engines can turn up old arrest mug shots plus caches of newer ones, which are nearly impossible to remove from the Internet.
In Bolton's case, he said the lawsuit is not about money but about getting his life and fingerprints back.
He filed a lawsuit in October in U.S. District Court in Detroit alleging the narcotics officer violated his rights against false or malicious arrest and prosecution.