Strip-search lawsuit trial delayed until May

PORTLAND – A federal trial involving a class-action lawsuit against Knox County and its sheriff alleging illegal strip searches of misdemeanor and certain felony detainees at the county jail has been pushed back to May.

In November, U.S. District Judge Gene Carter ruled in partial favor of plaintiff Laurie Tardiff of Thomaston and others who claim jail personnel illegally strip-searched certain detainees, which allowed the case to move to trial. At that time, a trial date was set for April.

In his opinion, the judge harshly criticized Sheriff Daniel Davey for not stopping unconstitutional strip searches of jail inmates despite knowing for years that the procedure violated jail policy and Maine state law.

On Feb. 9, Knox County and its sheriff asked the judge in the case to reconsider his partial summary judgment, in which he ruled the sheriff could be held personally liable. The pending motion for reconsideration delayed the trial date.