Dr. Justin Spies tells commissioners he has filed federal suit against Topeka library and employees
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Summary
Dr. Justin Spies used the public-comment period to announce a Dec. 11 federal lawsuit alleging First and Fourteenth Amendment violations by the Topeka and Shawnee County Library and two employees and said additional suits against Topeka police and the county corrections department are forthcoming.
Dr. Justin Spies, speaking during public comment at the Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Dec. 15, said he filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 11 against the Topeka and Shawnee County Library and two library employees.
"On December 11 of this past week, I filed a federal lawsuit in Kansas District Court against the Topeka and Shawnee County Library," Spies said, summarizing the complaint and naming the library security supervisor and a library employee referenced in the suit. He said the complaint stems from an Aug. 30 library event where he displayed anti-abortion materials and made a symbolic gesture; he said library staff coordinated with Topeka police to remove him and subsequently ban him from the library for six months.
Spies outlined multiple counts listed in the complaint, including allegations of viewpoint discrimination under the First Amendment and procedural and substantive due-process claims under the Fourteenth Amendment. "Steeler directed [the security supervisor] to remove plaintiff because she disagreed with his anti-abortion message," Spies said during his remarks, summarizing the suit's allegation of selective enforcement.
Spies also said he planned additional civil actions against Topeka Police and the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, accusing officers and jail staff of unlawful conduct after his arrest. "I'm actually headed to a hearing right after this for that trespass charge," Spies told the commissioners, and said he had recorded the incident.
The commissioners did not debate the substance of the alleged incidents during the meeting. No library or police representatives responded at the meeting; the board acknowledged Spies's comments and moved on to other agenda items. The complaint as described by Spies lists multiple constitutional counts and alleges related civil-liability and conspiracy claims; Spies characterized some damages and additional suits as forthcoming.
Next steps: Spies said court proceedings are underway; the county meeting did not include any formal action or response by the board on the allegations.