Ashley Fore is the payroll supervisor for Escambia County, Alabama public schools. In 2023, the school board began to consider extending the contract of the school superintendent. The board narrowly rejected the extension even though the superintendent had powerful allies advocating for her, including the district attorney and sheriff. The two started a bogus investigation to support their ally and sent a subpoena to Ashley and her boss for records. Nothing about the subpoena indicated that it was confidential.
When a local paper, Atmore News, reported on that investigation and subpoena, Ashley, school board member Sherry Digmon, reporter Don Fletcher, and board member Cindy Jackson were arrested and charged with a felony.
Ashley is fighting back against the retaliation with a lawsuit that seeks to hold the district attorney and sheriff accountable for their unconstitutional retaliatory investigation and arrests.
Related Case
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Atmore, Alabama Retaliation
Four residents of a small Alabama county were targeted for retaliation by a district attorney and sheriff. Now, they are suing with IJ to protect their constitutional rights.