Bottom later pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights, while two other charges of speeding and resisting arrest were ultimately dropped, the newspaper reported. 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 actions of officers who abuse their power makes it hard for individuals to trust law enforcement. Bottom claims the officers refused to get her medical treatment even as she told them she was in pain, according to the lawsuit. WebWho is Stephanie Bottom? Why didn't you stop?" Stephanie Bottom is suing the police over her arrest in May 2019 which left her with a torn rotator cuff. She says when she finally realized she was being pursued by police, it took awhile for her to find a safe placeto pull over. North Carolina Central Eagles (16-11, 9-4 MEAC) at South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-24, 2-11 MEAC) Orangeburg, South Carolina; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: North Carolina Central faces the "Why are you doing this to me? Bottom is heard telling officers. When she realized officers were following her, she tried to pull over 'somewhere safe where Id be around lights and people,' but she alleges spike strips were used to stop her car instead. Some of those images can be seen immediately below: Bottom alleges the group of officers arrested her unreasonably when they grabbed [her] by her hair and threw her from her Toyota Sequoia to the ground., As a result, the librarian claims, she was seriously injured due to the excessive force of the arrest, which resulted in a tear to her rotator cuff in her shoulder. This injury, according to the lawsuit, required surgery, permanently scarring and limiting the use of [Bottoms] shoulder.. were aware of her general age based on their radio communications. 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? Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. 8. Emancipate NC attorney Ian Mance is representing Bottom in a lawsuit seeking damages for excessive force, co-counseling with the Civil Clinic at North Carolina Central University School of Law. We've been following you for about 10 miles, an officer responds. A 68-year-old Black woman has filed a We found 15 records for Stephanie Monroe in Huntersville, Fayetteville and 12 other cities in North Carolina. (Hicks, Samantha), CASE REFERRED to Mediation pursuant to Local Rule 83.9b of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of this Court. Bottom, from Atlanta, Georgia, was driving to her great aunt's funeral when police pulled her over in May 2019 - but footage has only now been shared of the incident. Another angle appears to show an officer grabbing Bottom by her hair when yanking her from the car. WebDr. She also wants to make sure that other people are not treated the way she was during her May 2019 arrest. Bottom 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. I was just driving. Get a complete background report of Stephanie Austin at LocatePeople with phone, address, email, criminal, court and arrest records. Use the links below to access additional information about this case on the US Court's PACER system. STEPHANIE BOTTOM: Defendant: DEPUTY MARK BENFIELD, OFFICER DEVIN BARKALOW, OFFICER ADAM BOUK, CITY OF SALISBURY, SHERIFF KEVIN A 68-year-old Black librarian from Georgia has filed a civil rights lawsuit against police officers over a traffic stop gone awry. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. When they grabbed me and threw me to the ground, thats when the real terror struck me that I was going to die.'. WebBlack librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. Law enforcements handling of the situation was captured on body cameras, and images of their initial approach were included as exhibits in the lawsuit. 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. Officers Barkalow and Bouk picked up by her arms, inflicting additional pain to her shoulder, forced her to stand and put her in the back of a patrol car, according to the lawsuit. Bottom wasnt even arrested.. Bottom pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights. She was terrified, according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. She is hard working, hard charging and highly professional. The post 68-year-old woman sues NC police for violent traffic stop recorded on body camera appeared first on TheGrio. As she was handcuffed on the side of the road, the officers searched her vehicle and purse without her consent, a warrant, or probable cause which violated Bottoms Fourth Amendment rights, 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. The video shows Stephanie Bottom, 66, repeatedly pleading with Salisbury police officers and Rowan County sheriffs deputies to tell her why they stopped her on 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. When Bottoms didnt immediately pull over, one of the officers making the traffic stop identified in the lawsuit as Salisbury Police Officer Devin Barkalow made statements recorded by his body camera that Bottom was a f**king retard and a douche bag, according to the body camera footage. She is now suing the police officers who were involved in her arrest, Bottom complains repeatedly during the arrest about the cops hurting her, 'Ms. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. April 21, 2021 (Screenshot via TheBL/Charlotte Observer video) Officers used unnecessary force on a woman during a traffic stop in North Carolina, according to a federal complaint brought by Georgia 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. I wasn't running. By Associated Press and Holden Walter-warner For Dailymail.com, Published: 21:04 EST, 22 April 2021 | Updated: 13:58 EST, 23 April 2021. Bottom was charged with speeding and resisting arrest. According to the lawsuit against Salisbury Police Department and the Rowan County Sheriffs Office, Bottom, who was then 66-years old, did not know she was going about 10 mph more than the speed limit. As is standard, we are unable to comment on pending litigation.. During this time, Bouk is heard on the body camera footage saying, "That's good police work baby" to other officers, according to the suit. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Video footage captured by body cameras worn by the officers prove Bottoms claims of physical harm. appreciated. Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. 2001-2023 Dante Lee International | All Rights Reserved. Bottom had surgery for her injury, but is no longer able to raise her left arm above her head according to the suit. Medicaid to cut 14 MILLION Americans from health coverage as states crack down on eligibility for the first time in three years after numbers soared during COVID - so are you at risk? Unprofessional conduct, inappropriate comments, and excessive force use negatively impacts police-citizen relationships. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. Bottom sued on Wednesday alleging two separate violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, assault and battery, and a local statutory violation against Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. Her requests for medical assistance were ignored even though she said she was in pain. She was "terrified," according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. Meanwhile, officers search her car, which Bottom alleges she didn't consent for, Officers are then seen using their force to get Bottom to put her arms behind her back. Stephanie Bottom filed a federal lawsuit against NC police claiming officers violated her rights by using excessive force. The injury reportedly kept the now-68-year-old woman out of work for eight months and left her shaking in fear, she said. Do not sell or share my personal information. Officers Barkalow and Adam Bouk and Deputy Mark Benfield then quickly approached with their guns drawn. Her lawsuit was immediately referred to mediation due to local court rules, according to Law & Crime. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright 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.'. Prison is state-sponsored violence. WebYou can view 1 entry, complete with personal details, location history, phone numbers, relatives and locations for Stephanie Love. PO Box 309 23 South Carolina baseball team continued its unbeaten start to the 2023 season in an 11-3 victory over North Carolina A&T Tuesday afternoon at Founders Park. "Once it became clear they wanted her to pull over she was afraid and was looking for a safe place to pull over," Holmes told CNN in an email. A Warner Bros. Stephanie Bottom filed a federal lawsuit against NC police claiming officers violated her rights by using excessive force. Durham, NC 27702 Emancipate NC attorney Ian Mance and Emancipate NC client Stephanie Bottom are featured in a new CNN documentary: CNN Special Report- Traffic Stop: Dangerous Encounters. WebStephanie Monroe in North Carolina. 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. San Francisco's woke public defender is slammed for condemning plans to deport opioid pushers, Do you wish you were taller? 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 told CNN on Tuesday. WebFOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA Civil Action No. She later had surgery for the injury, but it did not fully repair the shoulder, according to the lawsuit, and now there is permanent damage. Eventually, Bottom received medical attention at the scene and was taken to the hospital, the lawsuit says. 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. Bodycam footage from the incident shows officers approach Bottom's vehicle with guns drawn. Bottom was peaceful at all times, and officers knew they were dealing with an elderly woman, said Ian Mance, a lawyer with EmancipateNC who is representing Bottom, according to CBS News. the officer responds. The comments below have been moderated in advance. A video of the traffic stop shows Bottom pleading with the officers, screaming out in agony, and asking what have I done wrong? One of the officers body cameras also captured one of the Salisbury police officers bragging about grabbing a handful of dreads and saying she earned it. The four officers involved in the incident were Salisbury Police Officers Devin Barkalow and Adam Bouk, Rowan County Sheriffs Deputy Mark Benfield, and an officer only referred to as Officer Smith. According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. 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 The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". Instead of issuing a ticket, two of the officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and her hair and threw her out of the vehicle and onto the ground. Download our newest episodes now! Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Traveling north on I-85, she eventually noticed the Im on my way to a funeral, my aunts funeral, she sobs. On the same day Bottoms case was filed, it was automatically referred to mediation under local court rules due to the subject matter concerning an alleged Civil Rights violation under 42 U.S.C. Police officers then approached her with guns drawn and grabbed her by her arm and hair, pulling her out of her car and throwing her onto the ground. "Once it became clear they wanted her to pull over she was afraid and was looking for a safe place to pull over," Holmes told CNN in an email. And after that, she claims, it got even worse. Posted by 10 months ago. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriffs Department for comment but has not yet heard back. Maam, there were three police cars behind you for about 10 miles, one of the officers replied. Current Address: 7200 Orcutt Ave; Newport News, VA 23605-1916. Close. In a one-hour special, CNN national correspondent Sara Sidner explores traffic stops and the psychological, social, and financial trauma they cause Black High Performing in Stroke. Within seconds of arriving at her drivers 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. Bottom said all of the arresting officers were white. Bottom was listening to music while driving to her auntie funeral during the time and didnt Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Alliance firefighters investigating blaze that damaged the Main Street Caboose, A look at some of Europe's train disasters in recent times, MorningLine: PACT Act and Veterans Benefits pt1. 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. 23 South Carolina baseball team continued its unbeaten start to the 2023 season in an 11-3 victory over North Carolina A&T Tuesday afternoon at Founders Park. Officers with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Bottom, alleging she was driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the suit. Ms. Bottom wasnt even arrested.. A Salisbury police officer involved in the stop, allegedly Devin Barkalow, 'bragged about "grabbing a handful of dreads", and said "at that point she earned it",' the lawsuit said, citing footage from the officer's body camera. The just-released body cam video shows police pulling Stephanie Bottom by her arm and hair from her car and handcuffing heron the side of the highway. 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