By Vem Miller, a 49-year-old Nevada resident arrested near a Donald Trump rally in Coachella, California, has filed a lawsuit against Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, accusing him of falsely portraying the arrest as a thwarted assassination attempt for personal gain. The incident, which occurred at a security checkpoint outside the rally, has sparked controversy over the nature of the arrest and the subsequent claims made by law enforcement.
According to Sheriff Bianco’s statement at a Sunday news conference, Miller was stopped while driving an unregistered black SUV with a “homemade” license plate. The sheriff reported that deputies discovered a shotgun, loaded handgun, ammunition, and several fake passports in Miller’s vehicle. Miller was released the same day on $5,000 bail.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Nevada, directly challenges Sheriff Bianco’s account. Miller alleges that Bianco lied about the fake passports and “created a narrative so as to be viewed as a ‘heroic’ Sheriff who saved Presidential candidate Trump.” The legal action names Sheriff Bianco, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and a sheriff’s deputy as defendants.
Miller’s lawsuit also contends that the sheriff’s department conducted an illegal search of his SUV. Furthermore, it claims that Miller voluntarily disclosed to officers at the checkpoint that he had weapons but intended to leave them in the vehicle.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened security at Trump rallies, following two recent assassination attempts on the former president. Last month, a man was indicted for allegedly staking out Trump for 12 hours with the intent to kill him, while in August, Trump was shot and wounded in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Sheriff Bianco had stated that Miller claimed to be a journalist, though it was unclear if he possessed proper credentials. The sheriff described the interior of Miller’s vehicle as being “in disarray” and said the search uncovered multiple passports and driver’s licenses with different names.
Miller is scheduled to appear in court in January on weapons charges. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine, according to online records.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The case raises questions about the balance between security measures at high-profile political events and individual rights, as well as the responsibilities of law enforcement in accurately reporting such incidents to the public.
As this legal battle unfolds, it is likely to draw attention to the broader issues of security protocols at political rallies, the rights of individuals at such events, and the accountability of law enforcement officials in their public statements and actions.
