Johnson v. Norris (Kootenai County): Town Hall Arrest Spurs $2.5M Tort Claim Alleging Retaliation and Excessive Force

At a February 22, 2025 “Legislative Town Hall” held at Coeur d’Alene High School, citizen Gregory (Gregg) Johnson says he was falsely arrested by Kootenai County Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris after Johnson verbally objected to how another attendee, Teresa Borrenpohl, was being removed. Johnson claims the Sheriff lacked authority from the Coeur d’Alene School District (the property owner) to trespass attendees, failed to clearly announce any lawful basis for seizure, and used excessive force, all in retaliation for protected speech. Johnson seeks $2,500,000 in compensatory and punitive damages from Sheriff Norris and Kootenai County.

Who’s Who (Key Players)

• Gregory “Gregg” Johnson – Claimant; local resident and interior designer; attended the town hall; arrested after saying, “Hey, leave her alone.”

• Sheriff Robert “Bob” Norris – Kootenai County Sheriff; alleged to have directed and/or personally effected removals/arrest without proper authority or notice.

• Kootenai County – Public entity; alleged to be liable under Monell (policy/custom) and under Idaho Tort Claims Act.

• Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) – Event organizer.

• Coeur d’Alene School District #271 – Property owner; policies allegedly reserve removal authority to the principal or designee.

• Teresa Borrenpohl – Attendee who was physically removed; Johnson objected to her treatment.

• Ed Bejarana – Event MC; alleged to have escalated tensions with comments from the stage.

• Lear Asset Management / Paul Trouette – Private security presence; alleged to lack a signed security agreement and clear authority/identification.

What Happened (Key Events)

• Before the event (Feb 20–21, 2025):
  KCRCC conducts a walk-through with Lear Asset Management; discussions with police about security, firearms prohibitions, and identification; no signed security agreement with the School District is alleged.

• Event (Feb 22, 2025, CDA High School Auditorium):

  • Crowd becomes loud/boisterous; MC’s remarks allegedly further agitate.

  • Sheriff Norris tells Borrenpohl to leave; grabs her arm; Lear personnel (unbadged) assist in removal.

  • Johnson, seated nearby, verbally objects (“Hey, leave her alone”).

  • Sheriff Norris allegedly grabs Johnson from behind and removes/arrests him without first clearly stating arrest/detention/trespass authority or property-owner authorization.

  • Johnson is taken to the hallway, zip-tied, frisked, and later released (no probable cause alleged).

• Aftermath:
  Incident circulates widely; Johnson claims reputational harm, pain (pre-existing hip/knee issues aggravated), mental anguish, and a chilling effect on civic participation.

What Laws/Policies Are Invoked

• Idaho Tort Claims Act (Idaho Code § 6-901 et seq.).

• 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (civil rights):

  • First Amendment Retaliation (punishing protected speech).

  • Fourth Amendment (unreasonable seizure/excessive force; failure to announce arrest/detention; lack of property-owner authority for trespass).

  • Monell (US Supreme Court Ruling – SCOTUS) liability (County policy/custom via final policymaker).

• State torts: False arrest, false imprisonment, assault, battery, negligence, negligent supervision/training.

• School District Policies: Reserve removal authority to principal/designee; law enforcement to assist only after such request.

Core Allegations (in Brief)

• Sheriff acted without clear authority from the School District to trespass/remove attendees.

• Sheriff and/or private security used unreasonable and excessive force.

• Sheriff retaliated against Johnson for protected speech.

• Sheriff failed to clearly communicate arrest/detention or legal basis, causing unconstitutional seizure.

• County is liable because the Sheriff is a final policymaker for law enforcement.

Damages Sought

• $2,500,000 (compensatory + punitive), citing physical pain, loss of liberty, reputational harm, mental anguish, and chilling of speech.

Evidence Referenced (Exhibits Mentioned)

• Event Ads/Flyers (KCRCC).

• School District Policies (facility use; removal authority).

• Facility Use Agreement & Insurance (no exclusive possession; public use; owner retains removal authority).

• Police Reports; emails from District Safety/Security; videos from attendees and security.

• Lear Asset Management manual for the event.

• Media coverage of the incident.

What’s Disputed / Legal Questions

• Did the Sheriff have actual authority from the School District to trespass/remove attendees?

• Was Johnson’s speech protected and was the arrest retaliatory?

• Was force objectively reasonable under the circumstances?

• Does the Sheriff’s conduct reflect an official policy/custom (County liability under Monell)?

• Were private security personnel authorized and properly identified?

Why It Matters (Public Takeaway)

This claim challenges how public-event security is exercised on school property, the limits of law enforcement authority in quasi-political forums, and the protections for citizen speech during contentious civic meetings. The outcome could shape local policy on event security, law-enforcement coordination with property owners, and the handling of disruptive—but protected—speech.