Mayor Comments On Strip Search Lawsuit

By Charles Edwards

Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed says claims police officers illegally strip searched five men are not well founded. Reed's comments come one day after the men filed a federal lawsuit against the officers and the city.

The young black men claim Atlanta officers pulled down their pants, then their underwear and searched their private areas for no reason.
Generally speaking, Reed says he takes these types of allegations very personally.

"I genuinely care about how people in the city of Atlanta are treated," said Reed.

However, Reed has doubts about this case.

"At the end of the day, we're going to be able to prove that these charges were not well founded."

Reed did not explain why he thought the charges are not well founded. But WABE legal analyst Page Pate says the phrase is often used.

"Lawyers will commonly say a case or a claim is not well founded when they think that the facts as they believe them to be do not support the cause of action that was identified in the lawsuit," said Pate.

Dan Grossman, the lawyer representing the five men, argues the lawsuit is the latest example of a lack of accountability within Atlanta's police department.