A master falconer has filed suit against three Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency law enforcement officers, alleging her constitutional rights were violated when they unlawfully seized 13 birds of prey, phone, computer, video and other records from her Nashville home in 2022 — an action a Criminal Court judge called “egregious,” “an abuse of the law” and “malicious prosecution.”
The lawsuit, brought by longtime falconer and Nashville songwriter Holly Lamar, also alleges the three male TWRA officers singled her out because of her gender when they misapplied state and federal rules that govern bird use and ownership in the traditionally male-dominated field of falconry.
Lamar was charged with 30 misdemeanor wildlife violation counts last fall after the state seized her owls, buzzards, kestrels and falcons. The charges, alleging she possessed more birds than legally allowed and failed to file proper paperwork, collectively carried a term of more than 15 years in prison.
In January, the Davidson County District Attorney ‘s Office dropped all criminal charges against Lamar after a presiding judge ordered the immediate return of Lamar’s birds and blasted the TWRA’s actions. Lamar’s 7-year-old peregrine falcon, Faith, did not survive TWRA’s seizure and relocation to a rehab facility.