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. And after that, she claims, it got even worse. 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. 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. 8. When she came to a stop, she says cops rushed toward her with guns drawn. She pleaded guilty to failure to heed blue lights and the other charges against her were dismissed. Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department must hold the individuals in the video accountable. "Well, honey, you had several miles to stop. Im on my way to a funeral, my aunts funeral, she sobs. This docket was last retrieved on June 15, 2021. Bottom was driving from Atlanta to Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend her aunts funeral. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. appreciated. Close. As an organization, we are dedicated to shifting the narrative on racialized mass incarceration through community education and mobilization. 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 Workman, Age 52 Remove Record. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Copyright Mark Walhberg is SLAMMED for presenting SAG Award to Asian cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once following his hate crime conviction for assaulting Asian men, Emily Blunt looks incredible in a red figure hugging gown as she cosies up to husband John Krasinski on the red carpet, SAG Awards' best dressed stars! Find Dr. Newby's phone number, address, hospital affiliations and more. She was "terrified," according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. 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. 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. According to the lawsuit, the police grabbed the then 66-year-old by her hair, and threw her to the ground resulting in a torn rotator cuff. 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. WebBlack librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. When they grabbed me and threw me to the ground, thats when the real terror struck me that Im going to die.. 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. One of the officers named in the lawsuit, Barkalow, declined to comment, but said he no longer works for the police department. The No. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. 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. 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. Asheville (NC) (2) Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill (NC) (13) Clarendon, NC (1) I was just driving, Bottom says. But officers approached her vehicle with guns drawn and later violated her rights by using excessive force, the lawsuit said. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. In a one-hour special, CNN national correspondent Sara Sidner explores traffic stops and the psychological, social, and financial trauma they cause Black Download our newest episodes now! 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. WebStunningly Stephanie is a professional Logistics and Consulting business that supports federal, state and local government, private, for-profit and non-profit organizations. 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. When officers approached her car, their firearms were drawn. 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 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. The No. Get notified of updates. Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. noticed the blue lights of a Sheriff Deputys vehicle. "Ma'am, there was about four police cars behind you at one point in time," the officer responds. Why are you doing this to me? asks Bottom, who is from Atlanta. She said she also experienced extreme terror. Four law enforcement officers are named in the federal lawsuit filed in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Stephanie Bottom is suing the police over her arrest in May 2019 which left her with a torn rotator cuff. 'I was shaking in fear,' Bottom said to the Observer. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much 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. 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? 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 Trump rages at Mark Zuckerberg amid claims group linked to Facebook boss gave $2 million to Georgia elections board - and says Democrats are 'trying to steal a SECOND election', Ron DeSantis claims former Disney CEO Bob Chapek privately complained to him about the 'pressure' he was under from woke Left wade in on Florida's 'Don't say gay bill', Now Dilbert distributor drops creator Scott Adams citing his bigoted rant that black people are a 'hate group': Comes after hundreds of newspapers, including the Washington Post canned the comic strip. Charges against her for speeding and resisting arrest were dismissed. Ms. Bottom wasn't even arrested.'. 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. Subscribe to Justia's Free Newsletters featuring summaries of federal and state court opinions. What have I done wrong?. 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. Law enforcements handling of the situation was captured on body cameras, and images of their initial approach were included as exhibits in the lawsuit. The injury reportedly kept the now-68-year-old woman out of work for eight months and left her shaking in fear, she said. Bottom then tells the officers she has a shoulder injury and is in pain while handcuffed, leading her to ask that the cuffs be removed. [emailprotected]. [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.. She also was charged with speeding and resisting arrest but those were dismissed. 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. 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. Bottom suffered a rotator cuff injury in her shoulder as a result of the officers violence. 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. area to pull over, according to her lawsuit filed in federal court on Wednesday. See the links below for more info. 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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. Black librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- A University of North Carolina student used some area knowledge to advance in Jeopardy's High School Reunion Tournament. 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. Find Stephanie Bottoms's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Have a good Sunday!: Elon Musk posts Tweet hours after sacking 200 MORE Twitter staff slashing work force to less than 2000 as top lieutenant who led the blue tick relaunch is among casualties, 'Why isn't he being prosecuted?' 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. Stephanie Bottom said she was driving to North Carolina for a funeral when she was pulled over for suspected speeding. The police department in Salisbury said they would not comment when contacted by Inside Edition. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. I did nothing wrong.. She was stopped for driving 80 mph in a 70 mph zone and for failing to heed blue lights. As is standard, we are unable to comment on pending litigation.. 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After the search, officers told Bottom to stand, but she said she couldnt due to the pain in her shoulder, according to the suit. 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. "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. 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 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) The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiffs purse and vehicle. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. the officer responds. 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 One of the officers was heard bragging about grabbing a handful of dreads, saying at that point she earned it on body camera footage. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. Another angle appears to show an officer grabbing Bottom by her hair when yanking her from the car. Phone Number: 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. Have a tip we should know? 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. Bottom pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights. The second best result is Stephanie Marie Walls age 30s in Apex, NC. 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. All Rights Reserved. I wasn't running. quickly enough, the lawsuit alleges. Millions of Americans are being kept in the dark about toxic trains rumbling through their neighborhoods as railroad companies refuse to disclose which carry hazardous loads. Download theGrio today! While following behind Plaintiff, Defendant [, limiting the use of [Bottoms] shoulder.. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. Phone Number: She 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. TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. 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. Bottom informed the outlet that her injuries kept her from working for eight months, resulting in a loss of wages. They have also lived in Willow Spring, NC and Raleigh, NC. 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