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Comedians Eric André and Clayton English have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the Clayton County Police Department over racial profiling at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The lawsuit, filed in October 2022, alleged that the comedians were unlawfully profiled and stopped by police officers without reasonable suspicion during separate incidents on jet bridges at the airport.
The case highlighted data showing that over half of the 400-plus passengers stopped by the police unit were Black. The lawsuit attracted support from entertainment figures like Tyler Perry and Jamie Foxx, as well as civil rights organizations such as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
As part of the settlement, Clayton County police agreed to wear body cameras and undergo constitutional rights training while working at the airport. The specialized interdiction team responsible for the stops has been permanently disbanded. The county also authorized a payment of $30,000, with each comedian receiving half, according to NBC Connecticut.
André expressed relief that the legal battle led to policy changes, stating, "It’s a major victory that Clayton County has confirmed that it has ended this program." English emphasized the importance of standing up against the police department to protect other passengers from similar treatment.
The lawsuit was initially dismissed by a federal district court judge in September 2023, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reinstated the Fourth Amendment claims in August 2025, ruling that André and English plausibly alleged violations of their rights. The settlement does not include an admission of fault or liability by the county.