Despite no charge, a Pennsylvania couple is furious that police allegedly treated them like criminals when they mistakenly thought their backyard plants were marijuana.
According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the couple, Edward Cramer 69, and Audrey Cramer, 66, are suing local authorities as well as their insurance agency after Buffalo Township Police told them their hibiscus plants were marijuana.
It all started on October 5th when their insurance agent visited their home to go over a property damage claim. The agent took pictures of the hibiscus plants and sent them to police, believing the plants were marijuana and that the couple was a part of a drug operation.
Police visited the couple with a search warrant and according to Audrey, there were a dozen cops “pointing assault-style rifles at her.” According to Audrey, she was only dressed in underwear during the incident.
She told WPXI, “I was not treated as though I was a human being, I was just something they were going to push aside. I asked them again if I could put pants on and he told me no and I had to stand out on the porch.”
The couple say that Sgt. Scott told them he didn’t believe the plants were marijuana but took them anyway.
The couple is suing for alleged excessive force, false arrest, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy in their lawsuit.
