'Within five seconds of arriving at her drivers side door with guns drawn, Defendants Benfield and Barkalow grabbed Plaintiff by her arm and hair and threw her from her Toyota Sequoia to the ground,' the lawsuit says. In the footage, Bottom is seen screaming as Benfield, Barkalow, and Salisbury Police Officer Adam Bouk force her to lay face down on the ground, according to the lawsuit. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunt's funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes After allegedly pulling her out of her car by her hair, Bottom was left on the ground. An attorney for Bottom said his client was peaceful at all times during the encounter and accused officers of disregarding the fact that they were dealing with an elderly woman. 'I was shaking in fear,' Bottom said to the Observer. Within seconds of the stop, cops are seendragged her out of the car by her hair, and pulling her arm behind her back to handcuff her, all while she screams out in pain. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. The Gamecocks responded in the bottom of the seventh with sacrifice plays by Petry and sophomore catcher Talmadge LeCroy. Emailus. Emancipate NC was founded on the knowledge that mass incarceration and structural racism harm all of us. It was a simple traffic stop, an officer tells Bottom. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. Bottom begins crying and asks what she's done wrong as officers tell her she is under arrest, although it turns out she was never formally arrested. By Stephanie Hubler | Feb. 23 Send 6:10 AM EDT, Wed April 28, 2021, Police pull Black woman by hair, injure her shoulder in traffic stop. Why are you doing this to me? asks Bottom, who is from Atlanta. Another officer sped ahead and used spike strips to immobilize Bottoms vehicle, the lawsuit notes, causing her to finally stop on the interstates median. Why didn't you stop?" 'I was getting ready to die. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Close. The post 68-year-old woman sues NC police for violent traffic stop recorded on body camera appeared first on TheGrio. By Associated Press and Holden Walter-warner For Dailymail.com, Published: 21:04 EST, 22 April 2021 | Updated: 13:58 EST, 23 April 2021. Benfield and a second cop, Officer Devin Barkalow, then struggle to put handcuffs on Bottom while she lies face-down on the side of the roadway, according to the footage. 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Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. The injury reportedly kept the now-68-year-old woman out of work for eight months and left her shaking in fear, she said. Stephanie Workman, Age 52 Remove Record. She also wants to make sure that other people are not treated the way she was during her May 2019 arrest. She is seeking punitive damages, compensatory damages, attorneys fees and other costs from the state defendantsas well as injunctive and declaratory relief that prohibits similar treatment against citizens in the future based on the idea that the officers actions were in violation of the Fourth Amendments prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures. Current Address: 9780 Lily Rd; Jacksonville, FL 32246-3426. Bottom insists to the white officers that she was unaware she was being told to pull over due to loud music in her car. Zendaya comes up roses in spectacular pink gown as she joins glamorous Jessica Chastain, Angela Bassett and Aubrey Plaza on red carpet in Los Angeles. In a statement to the media, the Salisbury Police Department said it was unable to comment on pending litigation but that it strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where (police) may suspect criminal activity.. It's unclear how close police were to Bottom's vehicle before she pulled over, as the footage only shows the inside of the police vehicle and the sky. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department must hold the individuals in the video accountable. Bottom, an Atlanta librarian and grandmother of five, was driving to North Carolina for a relatives funeral when police stopped her vehicle after it was going 10 Link Copied! The just-released body cam video Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. The force applied by the officers caused Bottoms shoulder to pop, tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury, according to the lawsuit. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Bottom was peaceful at all times, and officers knew they were dealing with an elderly woman,' said Ian Mance, a lawyer with EmancipateNC who represents Bottom. AGE. Its unclear how close police were to Bottoms vehicle before she pulled over, as the footage only shows the inside of the police vehicle and the sky. Play it now! McElroy told the newspaper that 'the Salisbury Police always strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where we may suspect criminal activity.'. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia. The actions of officers who abuse their power makes it hard for individuals to trust law enforcement. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. area to pull over, according to her lawsuit filed in federal court on Wednesday. Get notified of updates. WebStephanie Smith is a student in the MBA program at North Carolina Central University . Officers issued Bottom a summons, charging her with "speeding failure to heed blue lights, and resisting, delaying, and obstructing an officer for allegedly refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer," according to the lawsuit. At the time of the search, [Bottom] was at the front of her vehicle and unable to reach her vehicle or purse, the lawsuit alleges. I was getting ready to die. WebBlack librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. The then-66-year-old librarian from Fulton County, Georgia, was listening to music and didn't initially see the flashing blue lights coming from the police vehicle behind her, Holmes said. According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. She claimed she had her music turned up and couldnt hear the police sirens behind her. As an organization, we are dedicated to shifting the narrative on racialized mass incarceration through community education and mobilization. Within seconds of arriving at her driver's side door, the officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and hair and pulled her from her vehicle to the ground, according to body camera footage. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. All Rights Reserved. She was terrified, according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. Stephanie Bottom filed a federal lawsuit against NC police claiming officers violated her rights by using excessive force. WebFOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA Civil Action No. The clip which has been released after Bottom filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday begins with Deputy Mark Benfield approaching Bottoms car with his gun drawn before grabbing her hair and dragging her to the ground. Unprofessional conduct, inappropriate comments, and excessive force use negatively impacts police-citizen relationships. WebStephanie Bottom is a 68-year-old black woman who is suing the North Carolina police for using excessive force during a traffic stop in May 2019. I was getting ready to die, Bottom told the Charlotte Observer. Officers had their sirens on for at least 10 minutes, according to body camera footage that is cited in the lawsuit and was reviewed by CNN. DeSantis coming to CA as new poll shows him leading Trump, Ice flies off SUV, smashing windshield: 'You could kill somebody', How safe is your neighborhood? Bottom had surgery to repair the tear but the injury prevents her from raising her left arm above her head, according to the suit. Ms. Bottom wasnt even arrested.. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Utah lawmaker accused of trying to intimidate deputies into freeing his burglar son, Bodycam video shows Tyre Nichols yell mom as hes being beaten, tased by Memphis police, Heinous body camera footage of Tyre Nichols beating to be released Friday evening, Police chief warns Memphis not to react violently after release of Tyre Nichols inhumane beating video. Jacob Blake Files Excessive Force Lawsuit Against Kenosha Officer Who Fired Shot That Paralyzed Him, Virginia Police Officer Fired After Shooting Pepper Spray on Army Lieutenant at Traffic Stop, Town Says, Roderick Walker Case: White Deputy Fired After Being Seen Punching Black Man During Traffic Stop, Man Suing for 'Excessive Force' After Police Break Windshield with Suspects Head. Bodycam footage from the incident shows officers approach Bottom's vehicle with guns drawn. Docket action in the case was quick, however, and there may not be much of any precedent as a result of the lawsuit. Stephanie F. Newby is a Neurologist in Charlotte, NC. An officer then asks Bottom at one point if she had consumed alcohol prior to getting behind the wheel, which she denies, the footage shows. Get notified of updates. 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