Ex parte Michael Dale Bennett.

On June 5, 2012, Michael Dale Bennett filed a complaint against Officer H.A. Cox and Officer Lashun Hutson of the Lowndes County Sheriffs Department (“the sheriffs department”), in their official capacities, seeking the release and return of $19,855 in cash he claimed belonged to him. Bennett alleged that on September 2, 2011, officers of the sheriffs department had seized the cash during a search of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. Both Bennett and the driver were arrested and brought to the sheriffs department; the driver was held pursuant to an outstanding warrant, and Bennett was…