Judge dismisses SC Rep. Norman from lawsuit tied to controversial Rock Hill arrest

WSOCTV.com News Staff
·1 min read

A judge has dismissed South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman from a lawsuit that stemmed from a controversial arrest in Rock Hill, according to federal court documents.

The June 2021 arrest of Travis Price and his brother, Ricky Price, sparked protests across Rock Hill. Travis Price was initially charged with hindering police, but that was quickly dropped. He told reporters the incident robbed him of his dignity.

Travis Price’s family sued Congressman Norman for defamation because he referred to Travis Price as a suspect on Facebook. Price’s lawyers said he was never a suspect and those comments hurt his reputation.

PREVIOUS: Brother files lawsuit after arrest that led to Rock Hill officer’s firing

Now, a federal judge has dismissed Rep. Norman from the claim, saying the congressman acted within the realm of his job when he made the comment.

Police originally stopped Travis Price’s brother, Ricky, as part of a drug investigation. When Travis stepped in to collect Ricky’s belongings, then-officer Jonathan Moreno tackled and handcuffed Travis.

The arrests led to days of protests, and Officer Moreno was fired from the Rock Hill Police Department.

Moreno was later acquitted of third-degree assault and battery in connection to the case.

Channel 9 has reached out to Price’s lawyer for a response.

Rep. Norman’s office sent the following statement to Channel 9:

“For a Republican to stand up in defense of our police, only to then be sued by an out-of-town Democrat attorney, that’s sadly not surprising these days. The U.S. District Court was entirely correct to dismiss Rep. Norman as a defendant in this case. And today seems like another great opportunity to remind our local law enforcement officers of just how profoundly grateful Rep. Norman is for each one of them.”

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