The District of Columbia has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a resident who alleged police officers illegally detained him for playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his cellphone. The settlement, disclosed in a court filing on Thursday, includes attorney’s fees and costs.
Sam O’Hara sued the district, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard member. He claimed the detention was an act of protest against the federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C., deployed under an executive order by then-President Donald Trump in September 2025.
O’Hara, an artist, stated he is satisfied with the settlement but conflicted that taxpayers will cover the cost. "Those who actually violated my constitutional rights should be the ones paying the price, like taking the money from their pensions. That’s what real accountability looks like," he said in a statement. "This settlement is a reminder that our freedoms are worth fighting for, especially when the powerful would rather we suffer in silence."
The lawsuit, filed in October 2025, alleged police officers violated O’Hara’s First Amendment rights to free speech and his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizures and excessive force. According to the suit, O’Hara played “The Imperial March” on his phone as he followed National Guard troops down a public street. One of the troops then summoned police, who stopped O’Hara and handcuffed him for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing him without charges.
The settlement agreement states that it is not an admission of wrongdoing by the district. O’Hara has agreed to drop his claims against the district and the police officers within three business days of receiving the payment. However, his related claims against the Ohio National Guard member, Sgt. Devon Beck, are still pending, as Beck has asked a judge to dismiss O’Hara’s claims against him.
Trump’s deployment of Guard members in Washington began in August 2025 following a declaration of a crime emergency. Hundreds of Guard members remained deployed in the district nearly a year later, with no clear end date.