SALT LAKE CITY—A judge has ruled the family members of a Utah doctor can proceed with parts of a lawsuit claiming federal agents drove him to suicide with an investigation into American Indian artifacts.
A ruling Tuesday from the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City dismisses some of Dr. James Redd’s family’s claims, including malicious prosecution and false arrest.
But claims of wrongful death and intentional infliction of emotional distress stand.
The family’s lawsuit alleges 100-plus heavily armed agents showed up to Redd’s home to arrest him and search for an ancient bird pendant, and a judge says that would have been unreasonable considering 60-year-old Redd wasn’t accused of a violent crime.
Redd killed himself in 2009, a day after he was swept up in a multi-state investigation into artifact looting.
