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Free Speech Lawsuit: Farmington Man Arrested For Using Offensive Word

A New Mexico man is suing Farmington police after he says officers arrested him for using an offensive word at an IHOP.

Lawyers for Tye Trujillo filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque last month and say the June 2013 arrest violated the 32-year-old's free speech rights.

According to lawsuit, Trujillo was having lunch with three men near a table of three officers. Court documents say when the officers heard the men repeatedly use an expletive, an officer went over to the table and warned them not to use it again.

The lawsuit says when officer's allegedly heard Trujillo utter the word again they arrested him for disorderly conduct.

He was later acquitted.

A lawyer for the officers say police did nothing wrong and want the case dismissed.

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