By J.J. KINDRED

The Daily Times

A Monroe County man and his wife have filed a lawsuit against Walmart and the city of Maryville after a store employee mistakenly thought the man was making a bomb threat during an incident more than a year ago. 

Robert Steven Roberts, 59, and his wife, Rethia Marie Roberts, 58, said in the lawsuit that the Walmart employee falsely accused him of making the bomb threat and that officers with the Maryville Police Department hurt and humiliated him when they took him into custody. 

The lawsuit was filed late last month in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, and the couple is asking for $1 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

See full story in the Wednesday, Oct. 10, edition of The Advocate & Democrat.