The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. WebStephanie Smith is a student in the MBA program at North Carolina Central University . North Carolina the only state allowing unnecessary killing of sea turtles (3) 'Pagan' bike gang leader in N. Carolina sentenced to prison (3) Deputy cleared in shooting death of Gloucester woman (3) We are a certified North Carolina Small Business. Traveling north on I-85, she eventually noticed the blue lights of a Sheriff Deputys vehicle and began looking for a safe area to pull over, according to her lawsuit filed in federal court on Wednesday. "Because I didn't know they were going after me!" The lawsuit alleges that two officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and her hair, later throwing her out of the vehicle and onto the ground. A Warner Bros. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunts funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes told CNN on Tuesday. Another angle appears to show an officer grabbing Bottom by her hair when yanking her from the car. An elderly black librarian was viciously yanked out of her car by her hair by a white officer and held at gunpoint during a traffic stop in North Carolina, newly released bodycam footage shows. One of the officers named in the lawsuit, Barkalow, declined to comment, but said he no longer works for the police department. 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. She said she also experienced extreme terror. Stephanie Bottom (AP) RALEIGH, N.C. A federal lawsuit filed by a Georgia librarian says white officers used excessive force on the Black woman during a The Atlanta-based librarian was allegedly assaulted by cops in 2019, during a traffic stop. The grandmother of five says she was on her way to her aunts funeral when she was pulled over for allegedlygoing 80 mph in a 70 mph zone. Body (Hicks, Samantha), Case ASSIGNED to JUDGE WILLIAM L. OSTEEN, JR and MAG/JUDGE JOI ELIZABETH PEAKE. (Garland, Leah), Motion Referred: RE: #3 APPLICATION to Proceed IFP to MAG/JUDGE JOI ELIZABETH PEAKE. Bottom wasnt even arrested.. 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 quickly enough, the lawsuit alleges. ', 'Won't somebody think of the fentanyl dealers?' "Why are you doing this to me? Bottom is heard telling officers. 25-Year-Old Mom Gives Birth to 9 Babies at the Same Time, 16-Year Old Headed to College, Chooses HBCU Over Yale and Harvard, Single Black Dad Says He Will Encourage His Son to Pursue Entrepreneurship Instead of College, 28-Year-Old Makes History as the Third Black Female Captain For PSA Airlines, 67-Year-Old Black Woman Makes History, Finally Earns High School Diploma, Black Mom Now Wows Fans, Officially as Pop Star Vallyre, Black Poet Pens His 4th Book, Perspective, Thats Sure to Leave Readers Wanting More, Civil Rights Activist Essie Berry Calls Out CVS Pharmacy For Sexual Harassment and Assault, 8-Year-Old Partners With Her Grandmother to Launch Black-Owned Skincare Brand for Kids, School Janitor of 23 Years Changes Careers, Becomes a Teacher, 78-Year Old Great-Grandmother Graduates From College, First Black Male to Become a Full Professor at the Univ. 2023 Cable News Network. 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 It also claims that the officers congratulated one other for their work and an officer identified in the lawsuit as Barkalow is heard bragging about grabbing a handful of dreads, saying at that point she earned it.. 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. "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. 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The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiffs purse and vehicle. Browse Locations. 2. A black librarian has filed a federal lawsuit claiming white cops in used excessive force by pulling her from her car by her hair during a traffic stop in North Carolina. Posted by 10 months ago. 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.". According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. Salisbury city officials declined to comment on Bottoms lawsuit, but told the outlet that its police department always strives for positive interactions with residents and visitors, including those suspected of criminal activity. Derek Chauvin trial juror details courtroom experience, deliberations: 'You're watching somebody die on a daily basis'. Traveling north on I-85, she eventually noticed the Within seconds of arriving at her driver's side door, officers grabbed the by her arm and hair and pulled her from her vehicle to the ground. 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. 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. area to pull over, according to her lawsuit filed in federal court on Wednesday. Emancipate NC One of the officers was heard bragging about grabbing a handful of dreads, saying at that point she earned it on body camera footage. I was just driving. 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. One of the officers tells Bottom that three police cruisers had been behind her for about 10 miles trying to get her to pull over for allegedly driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone and failing to heed officers sirens. WebWho is Stephanie Bottom? They have also lived in Willow Spring, NC and Raleigh, NC. I was getting ready to die. Black librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. Posted by 10 months ago. Meanwhile, the Salisbury Police Department did not comment on the pending litigation but stated that it strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where we may suspect criminal activity., Get the Latest Black News and Press Releases In Your Email FREE, Your (Hicks, Samantha), CASE REFERRED to Mediation pursuant to Local Rule 83.9b of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of this Court. 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. She received medical attention only after about an hour. Durham, NC 27702 I didn't know you guys were chasing after me. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriffs Department for comment but has not yet heard back. I wasn't running. As Rowan County Sheriffs Deputy Mark Benfield and Barkalow approached her vehicle they had their guns drawn and pointed at her, according to the lawsuit. I was listening to my musicI wasn't going that fast, Bottom says. 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She pleaded guilty to failure to heed blue lights and the other charges against her were dismissed. Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. Officers Barkalow and Adam Bouk and Deputy Mark Benfield then quickly approached with their guns drawn. Eventually, Bottom received medical attention at the scene and was taken to the hospital, the lawsuit says. She says that when she requested medical assistance, approximately an hour elapsed before officers called for help. While following behind Plaintiff, Defendant [, limiting the use of [Bottoms] shoulder.. Find Stephanie Bottoms's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. 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. The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". The local NAACP chapter called for the release of the bodycam footage, a transparent investigation, a review of current policies, creation of new policies, and for the Rowan County Sheriffs office to update its mission statement. 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. It also claims that the officers congratulated one other for their work and an officer identified in the lawsuit as Barkalow is heard bragging about grabbing a "handful of dreads," saying "at that point she earned it.". Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunts funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes May 11, 2021 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News, Policing. Ms. Bottom wasnt even arrested. According to an ABC 7 News article, Bottom appeared in court for the traffic violations, pleaded responsible to failure to heed blue lights, and the other charges against her were dismissed, according to the lawsuit.. #3 in North Carolina. 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. She is hard working, hard charging and highly professional. The No. It is an absolute pleasure to know her and have worked with her.. When they grabbed me and threw me to the ground, thats when the real terror struck me that I was going to die. 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. Link Copied! 'Breaking Bad' star Bryan Cranston says Trump's Make America Great Again slogan is RACIST and asks 'when was it ever great for the African American? Subscribe to Justia's Free Newsletters featuring summaries of federal and state court opinions. The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". The suit alleges that in his official capacity he approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.. Asheville (NC) (2) Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill (NC) (13) Clarendon, NC (1) 'Our complaint alleges these officers had no reason to use any force, much less the level of force they employed. Not think the police were trying to stop her behavior. `` when she requested assistance. 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