State’s top court will look at fingerprinting of Black teens

The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to look at two cases involving Black teenagers who were photographed and fingerprinted by Grand Rapids police but never charged with a crime.

The court will consider whether the actions violated the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable searches and seizures. The Michigan appeals court in 2019 ruled in favor of the officers in civil lawsuits, based on other binding legal decisions.

The Supreme Court said Thursday it will hear arguments in the months ahead.

The incidents occurred in 2011 and 2012.