SYRACUSE, NY – A long-running civil rights lawsuit alleging false arrest, unlawful search, and malicious prosecution by Syracuse police and Onondaga County officials is set to go to trial next week, marking the latest chapter in an eight-year legal battle over a 2016 criminal investigation.
U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino issued a memorandum-decision in Alexander v. City of Syracuse et al., resolving pretrial motions ahead of the January 26, 2026 trial in Albany federal court. The case, filed in 2017 by plaintiff Troy Alexander, centers on allegations that officers with the Syracuse Police Department illegally entered and searched his home, seized his property, and falsely arrested him during the investigation of a reported gang rape and assault.
Alexander contends that Detective Rory Gilhooley and other officers spent more than twelve hours inside his residence at 1906 South State Street before obtaining a search warrant. The complaint also accuses police of towing two vehicles from the property without proper authorization. When a warrant was later executed, officers reported finding narcotics and paraphernalia in Alexander’s bedroom, leading to multiple state criminal charges.
The lawsuit names the City of Syracuse, Detective Gilhooley, and Onondaga County as defendants. Alexander claims the city and county kept him incarcerated even after he posted bail on separate sets of charges, which were ultimately dismissed.
After a federal judge initially dismissed the case in 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reinstated several of Alexander’s claims, ruling that factual disputes must be decided by a jury. The appeals court specifically revived his Fourth Amendment unlawful search claim, along with related false arrest and malicious prosecution claims under both federal and state law.
Judge D’Agostino’s recent order addresses motions in limine filed by both sides seeking to limit evidence at trial. While portions of the motions were granted or denied, the court reserved ruling on several evidentiary issues that will be determined as testimony unfolds.
The upcoming trial will determine whether the actions of the Syracuse Police Department and Onondaga County officials violated Alexander’s constitutional rights and whether he is entitled to damages for wrongful detention.
Key Points: Civil rights trial set to begin in Syracuse man’s false arrest and unlawful search case – Syracuse
- Troy Alexander’s civil rights trial begins January 26, 2026, after nearly a decade of litigation.
- Claims include unlawful search, false arrest, and malicious prosecution against the City of Syracuse and Onondaga County.
- The Second Circuit previously reinstated key claims, finding factual disputes suitable for a jury to decide.
