Ibhar Al Mheid v. Kathy Mincihew, et al.

Macon, Georgia, Ibhar Al Mheid, proceeding pro se, without a lawyer, filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Georgia against a police officer, a prosecutor, a state court judge, and a jail healthcare provider, bringing claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and state law. <br>
<br>
Al Mheid, a physician who lived in Atlanta, was in a romantic relationship with Grace Wright, a college student in Athens,<br>
Georgia.1 The relationship lasted about 18 months and ended in December 2020.<br>
<br>
After Al Mheid and Wright's relationship ended, Wright contacted the Athens-Clarke County police about him several times. She made the first report in December 2020 when she told officers that Al Mheid had assaulted her at her apartment in Athens<br>
and was stalking her. The next day, Wright reported to Athens-Clarke County police that Al Mheid continued to repeatedly call and text her. One day later, Al Mheid traveled to Athens to see Wright. Upon arriving in Athens, Al Mheid was arrested on charges of assault and aggravated stalking. Shortly after his arrest, he was released on bond. The conditions of the bond barred him from contacting Wright. Athens-Clarke County police officer Katy Minchew instructed Wright to notify her if Al Mheid attempted to make contact. A few days later, Wright reported to Minchew that even though she had blocked Al Mheid's number, he was sending her harassing text messages. Minchew determined that Al Mheid used an online generator to send messages to Wright from phone numbers that she had not blocked. Wright also told Minchew that she had left Athens and returned home to live with her family in Brunswick, which was in a different county in Georgia.<br>
<br>
Minchew prepared an arrest affidavit stating that after his release on bond, Al Mheid committed the felony offense of aggra-<br>
vated stalking. The affidavit stated that the offense occurred in Athens-Clarke County and that Al Mheid's actions violated the terms of his bond. The affidavit did not mention that Wright had moved from Athens to Brunswick, which is outside Clarke County, when Al Mheid sent the messages.<br>
<br>
In late December 2020, a magistrate court judge issued an arrest warrant for Al Mheid. When Al Mheid learned of the warrant<br>
in March 2021, he promptly turned himself in to the police. That same day, he was released on a $25,000 bond. The terms of this bond barred him from contacting Wright.<br>
<br>
About a week after Al Mheid's release on the $25,000 bond, Wright reported to Minchew that he was sending her harassing<br>
emails. During her investigation, Minchew learned that someone had attempted to upload a sexually explicit video of Wright and Al Mheid to YouTube. Based on her investigation, Minchew determined that Al Mheid was the one who had tried to upload the video.<br>
<br>
Minchew consulted with Robert Schollmeyer, an Athens-Clarke County assistant district attorney, about her investigation.<br>
In March 2021, Schollmeyer filed a motion in Athens-Clarke County superior court to revoke Al Mheid's bond. In the motion,<br>
Schollmeyer said that Al Mheid violated the conditions of his bond by emailing Wright.<br>
<br>
Minchew sought to arrest Al Mheid on new charges of aggravated stalking, based on his emails, and invasion of privacy,<br>
based on his attempt to upload the video to YouTube. She prepared new arrest affidavits in which she reported that each crime oc-curred in Athens-Clarke County. The affidavits also stated that AlMheid's conduct violated the bond conditions set by the court. The affidavits again did not mention that Wright was no longer living in Athens-Clarke County when she received the emails or the video was uploaded to YouTube. A magistrate court judge issued warants for Al Mheid's arrest.<br>
<br>
On May 28, 2021, Al Mheid was arrested. Minchew traveled from Athens to Decatur to arrest him at the Department of Veter-<br>
ans Affairs medical center where he worked. Upon Al Mheid's arrest, Minchew placed him in handcuffs and ankle shackles. She took his cell phone and transported him to the Athens-Clarke County jail.<br>

The charges against Al Mheid were dismissed.<br>
<br>
The district court dismissed the action with prejudice because the defendants are immune.