By Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch
A Fort Dodge couple is suing the city, alleging a police officer improperly entered their home and violated their civil
rights.
Robert and Tamisha Benedict are suing the City of Fort Dodge and Officer Leighton Walker in U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Iowa, alleging assault, trespassing, negligent hiring and supervision of city personnel, and civil rights
violations related to an unreasonable search.
The couple alleges that Aug. 15, 2024, Walker was on duty and patrolling the city while Tamisha Benedict was at home
with her two teenage sons and their friends – one of whom was Walker’s daughter.
Around 7 p.m., the lawsuit states, Tamisha Benedict had to leave the house to take one of the children to an event and
communicated that fact to Ashley Utley, the mother of Walker’s child. She later gave her address to Utley so she could
pick up her daughter.
According to the lawsuit, Walker then drove to the Benedict house and, while on duty, armed and in uniform, entered the
home and conducted a complete search of the property.
“Walker eventually cornered the teenagers in the basement,” the lawsuit alleges,” and “battered his daughter and dragged
her out of the house.”
The lawsuit alleges the Benedict children were “terrified” by the incident.
The lawsuit was originally filed late last year in Webster County District Court but was transferred recently to federal
court. The city has yet to file a response in either state or federal court.
Read more from Clark Kauffman online at IowaCapitalDispatch.com
©Copyright 2025, Iowa Capital Dispatch. Published under a Creative Commons license,
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Read more at iowacapitaldispatch.com
