A Las Vegas man, Vem Miller, has filed a lawsuit against the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, alleging infringement of his civil rights following his arrest outside a Coachella Trump rally. According to FOX5 Vegas, Miller's attorney Sigal Chattah claims that the arrest involved unlawful search and seizure, and defamation.
Miller, who identified himself as a Trump caucus captain, reportedly had expedited special entry passes from the campaign when he approached the rally. In a statement obtained by News 3, he recounted how he had guns in his vehicle, which he disclosed to the officers, subsequently leading to his detainment. Sheriff Chad Bianco later suggested that his deputies, "probably did have deputies that prevented the third assassination attempt," a claim Miller vehemently denies.
Riverside County Sheriff Bianco, had endorsed President Trump, and portrayed Miller's arrest as potentially preemptive of a dire threat. However, the FBI and U.S. Secret Service did not consider Miller a threat and declined to interview him. The conflict pivots on the assertion by law enforcement that Miller was arrested with an unlicensed vehicle, a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine. Nevertheless, Miller was only charged with two gun-related misdemeanors and claims his reputation has been irreparably damaged by the sheriff's narrative.
The lawsuit, reported by FOX5 Vegas and News 3, accuses the Sheriff’s Office of unlawful conduct. It claims Sheriff Bianco acted with "deliberate and wrongful conduct" to create a sensational story. Miller is asking for damages and wants a deputy involved in his arrest to be dismissed. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department has not yet responded to these allegations.
