Lawyers: Police Erased Data In Gay Bar Raid

ATLANTA — Atlanta police are accused of erasing and destroying evidence after a controversial raid at a gay bar in midtown Atlanta.

A lawsuit filed by the bar alleges police erased text messages, e-mails and pictures related to the raid at the Atlanta Eagle bar on Ponce De Leon Avenue.

Officers searched about five-dozen bar patrons after they said they got a tip that drugs were being sold in the bar and that sex acts were taking place there last September.

Customers claimed they were forced down onto the sidewalk and handcuffed face down, while officers shouted anti-gay slurs, according to the suit.

Of the eight bar customers who were charged, three were acquitted and charges were dropped on the other five.

Lawsuit Claims Cops Destroyed Evidence In Gay Bar Raid

The bar's lawsuit claimed that cell phone data proving police mishandling was erased just days after a judge ordered the data to be turned over to the Atlanta Eagle lawyers.

A lawyer for the Eagle Bar told Channel 2's Justin Farmer that the city should take responsibility for the incident.

"Simply by agreeing to retrain the officers, admitting what happened. Apologizing for what happened. And I really was very hopeful that that would happen," attorney Daniel Grossman told Farmer.

City officials said in a Wednesday e-mail that the allegations are being taken seriously and there will be an investigation.

WSBTV