Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Her requests for medical assistance were ignored even though she said she was in pain. 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. At one point, she begged for medical attention, as well for an opportunity to call her family. 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. WBTV reported the city of Salisbury, North Carolina provided a statement about the case: The Salisbury Police Department strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where we may suspect criminal activity. (Hicks, Samantha), Case ASSIGNED to JUDGE WILLIAM L. OSTEEN, JR and MAG/JUDGE JOI ELIZABETH PEAKE. 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. Stephanie Bottom, of Atlanta, Georgia, was driving to the funeral of her great aunt in May 2019 when she was seen by police allegedly going 80mph in a 70mph 2023 Cable News Network. "Why are you doing this to me? Bottom is heard telling officers. Another angle appears to show an officer grabbing Bottom by her hair when yanking her from the car. Bottom said all of the arresting officers were white. The police department in Salisbury said they would not comment when contacted by Inside Edition. 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. 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. 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. 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. One of the officers named in the lawsuit, Barkalow, declined to comment, but said he no longer works for the police department. 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? The other officers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. May 11, 2021 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News, Policing. 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. 'Our complaint alleges these officers had no reason to use any force, much less the level of force they employed. [emailprotected]. 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. Law enforcements handling of the situation was captured on body cameras, and images of their initial approach were included as exhibits in the lawsuit. Get notified of updates. "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. 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 Atlanta-based librarian was allegedly assaulted by cops in 2019, during a traffic stop. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. WebFOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA Civil Action No. Ms. Bottom wasn't even arrested.'. He took a job with federal law enforcement in February 2020, according to Linda McElroy, a spokesperson for the city of Salisbury. Current Address: 9780 Lily Rd; Jacksonville, FL 32246-3426. Bottom was driving from Atlanta to Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend her aunts funeral. She pleaded guilty to failure to heed blue lights and the other charges against her were dismissed. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. 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 The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. Im on my way to a funeral, my aunts funeral, she sobs. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia. may be available from PACER. 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.". "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. 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) Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department must hold the individuals in the video accountable. 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According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. 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. Our complaint alleges these officers had no reason to use any force, much less the level of force they employed. Get notified of updates. 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. WebThe woman, Stephanie Bottom of Atlanta, who is Black, said she was driving to a funeral and posing no threat to the officers when they stopped her on Interstate 85 for driving 80 mph in a 70 mph zone. Stephanie Bottom filed a federal lawsuit against NC police claiming officers violated her rights by using excessive force. 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. 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. Do you live in the next East Palestine? Emancipate NC Stephanie Bottom, then 66, was driving her car to Raleigh for her great aunts funeral on 30 May, 2019 when, Salisbury police and Rowan County sheriff The force applied by the officers caused Bottoms shoulder to pop, tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury, according to the lawsuit. 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.. 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. Subscribe to Justia's Free Newsletters featuring summaries of federal and state court opinions. I was just driving, Bottom says. A 68-year-old Black woman has filed a were aware of her general age based on their radio communications. 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 She was stopped for driving 80 mph in a 70 mph zone and for failing to heed blue lights. WebI would highly recommend Stephanie. 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. (919) 682-1149, allegedly driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, The four officers involved in the incident, Durham DSS Slow to Reunify Kids with Families, Catch the Latest from Black Light Mass Incarceration Show, Join a Virtual Listening Session on the Harms of Solitary Confinement, RPD Releases Bodycam Footage of Darryl Williams Murder. The officers pulled Bottoms arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. After the arrest, Bottom claimed she was listening to music loudly in her car and did not realize she was being pulled over, according to the lawsuit, a claim that can be heard in the video. A 66-year-old librarian is suing police in North Carolina for allegedly using excessive force during a 2019 traffic stop in which she says she was thrown to the ground. Did you encounter any technical issues? Three law enforcement officers in North Carolina are accused of using PO Box 309 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. 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 WebStephanie Fields in North Carolina 47 people named Stephanie Fields found in Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point and 12 other cities. [Law enforcements] decision ultimately to release her to medical care, instead of keeping her in police custody, demonstrates that he initial decision to take her into custody was unreasonable.. As an organization, we are dedicated to shifting the narrative on racialized mass incarceration through community education and mobilization. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? 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. 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. (Hicks, Samantha). Johnston County Schools phase in weapons detection system, Duke Energy Carolinas seeks large rate increases for gas costs, Police salaries not helping fix staffing shortage challenges, Artemis Moshtaghian, Melissa Alonso and Amanda Jackson. Our complaint alleges these officers had no reason to use any force, much less the level of force they employed. 8. When Bottom didn't 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 officer responds. Web22 records for Stephanie Bottoms. In the suit filed on Wednesday, Brown - who was 66 at the time of the incident - claims she posed no threat to the officers from the Salisbury Police Department and the Rowan County Sheriff's Office. Business class plane passenger refuses to give up his seat so a man could sit next to his wife on her birthday - selfish or fair enough? She also was charged with speeding and resisting arrest but those were dismissed. 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. 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. She had to undergo surgery but it did not fully repair her shoulder and it now has permanent damage, the lawsuit stated. 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. WebFound 17 records for Stephanie Austin in North Carolina. One of the officers was heard bragging about grabbing a handful of dreads, saying at that point she earned it on body camera footage. quickly enough, the lawsuit alleges. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. When she was asked to stand but couldnt because of the pain in her shoulder, officers forcefully picked her up by her arms, inflicting more injury to her shoulder. A black librarian was dragged by her hair and yanked out of her car at a traffic stop in North Carolina, newly released bodycam footage has revealed.Stephanie Bottom, then 66, was driving her car to Raleigh for her great aunts funeral on 30 May, 2019 when, Salisbury police and Rowan County sheriff deputies attempted to pull her over for Click a location below to find Stephanie more easily. 6:10 AM EDT, Wed April 28, 2021, Police pull Black woman by hair, injure her shoulder in traffic stop. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Artemis Moshtaghian, Melissa Alonso and Amanda Jackson, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7. She is hard working, hard charging and highly professional. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiffs purse and vehicle. Once on the ground, officers twisted Bottom's arm behind her back, causing her 'shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury,' the lawsuit said. "Well, honey, you had several miles to stop. I was getting ready to die, Bottom told the Charlotte Observer. 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.". AGE. She claimed she had her music turned up and couldnt hear the police sirens behind her. Why didn't you stop?" '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. Her lawsuit was immediately referred to mediation due to local court rules, according to Law & Crime. The lawsuit alleges that earlier in the stop, Barkalow also said Bottom was a'f*****g retard' and a 'douche bag.'. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. She pleads for help, saying she has an injured shoulder. As officers search the car - which Bottom alleges she did not consent to - one explains that three police cars have been following her for around 10 miles, which Bottom agreed with, as officers explain how she was speeding. 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. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. 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. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. 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. Stephanie Bottom. : 1:21cv322 STEPHANIE BOTTOM ) Plaintiff, ) Stephanie Bottom (hereinafter Plaintiff), is an African American librarian who The Observer obtained the video footage which shows Bottom, crying in handcuffs, asking what have I done wrong?. Show our community and nation that law enforcement who enforce the law, must also abide by the same law.. We've been following you for about 10 miles, an officer responds. 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. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- A University of North Carolina student used some area knowledge to advance in Jeopardy's High School Reunion Tournament. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. 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 Bottom's Fourth Amendment rights, the lawsuit says. WebYou can view 1 entry, complete with personal details, location history, phone numbers, relatives and locations for Stephanie Workman. 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. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. 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