Townsend complained in a Facebook post about having been arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for walking away from an officer who indicated Townsend had broken the law when crossing the street.
In the post, Townsend tagged the police department and family members of the officer who arrested him. Because of the social media post, Townsend was charged with felony witness intimidation, a crime that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Prosecutors eventually dismissed that charge as part of a plea deal. Townsend’s suit claims the felony witness intimidation arrest deprived him of his First Amendment rights. He seeks compensatory and punitive damages and attorney fees.