Excessive force claim against Redford Township is dismissed.

The Marcilis family sued Redford Township and several officers after they executed a search warrant on the Marcilis' brothers' homes.  The family charged that they were detained at gun point on the floor, and then in handcuffs for too long; that they were improperly held in custody for hours or days, and that their property (including photographs, marriage certificates, etc.) was improperly seized.  The only claim preserved was related to the failure to comply with the "knock and announce" rule. 

Although three cars and miscellaneous personal property was later returned to the families, and all charges were dropped, the District Court ruled that the family had no basis to pursue a claim for improper conduct in how the searches were conducted or the family members' detention.  In short, the Court ruled that under civil rights law, the family members had not established that the police had abused the rights they enjoyed pursuant to the search warrant.