They have also lived in Willow Spring, NC and Raleigh, NC. 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. '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? She says when she finally realized she was being pursued by police, it took awhile for her to find a safe placeto pull over. I was shaking in fear, Bottom said in an interview with the Charlotte Observer. 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. She was "terrified," according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. She also was charged with speeding and resisting arrest but those were dismissed. Phone Number: Bottom informed the outlet that her injuries kept her from working for eight months, resulting in a loss of wages. 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) 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 Another officer sped ahead and used spike strips to immobilize Bottoms vehicle, the lawsuit notes, causing her to finally stop on the interstates median. She said she also experienced extreme terror. 'White privilege and entitlement:' NC city official fired after refusing to address woman by doctoral title. She was stopped for driving 80 mph in a 70 mph zone and for failing to heed blue lights. Eventually, Bottom received medical attention at the scene and was taken to the hospital, the lawsuit says. 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. 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. 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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. Emancipate NC According to the lawsuit, Bottom did not believe she was driving fast and did not think the police were trying to stop her. After allegedly pulling her out of her car by her hair, Bottom was left on the ground. WebYou can view 1 entry, complete with personal details, location history, phone numbers, relatives and locations for Stephanie Workman. Why are you doing this to me? asks Bottom, who is from Atlanta. After the search, officers told Bottom to stand, but she said she couldn't due to the pain in her shoulder, according to the suit. The Atlanta-based librarian was allegedly assaulted by cops in 2019, during a traffic stop. 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. WebDr. 6:10 AM EDT, Wed April 28, 2021, Police pull Black woman by hair, injure her shoulder in traffic stop. Stephanie Bottom filed a federal lawsuit against NC police claiming officers violated her rights by using excessive force. 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. Bottom claims at this point she was on her way to a funeral before saying that officers were hurting her shoulder. The suit was filed in federal court in the Middle District of North Carolina. The officers were attempting to conduct a traffic stop, as Bottom was allegedly driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone. 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. As Rowan County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Benfield and Barkalow approached her vehicle they had their guns drawn and pointed at her, according to the lawsuit. In a federal lawsuit, a 68-year-old Black librarian is accusing North Carolina law enforcement officers of using excessive force against her during a traffic stop. Web22 records for Stephanie Bottoms. I did nothing wrong.. She claimed she had her music turned up and couldnt hear the police sirens behind her. 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. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. may be available from PACER. Stephanie Bottom said she was driving to North Carolina for a funeral when she was pulled over for suspected speeding. The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". Bottom was charged with speeding and resisting arrest. Black librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. Bottom said all of the arresting officers were white. "Why are you doing this to me? Bottom is heard telling officers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Bottom was driving from Atlanta to Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend her aunts funeral. 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. Show our community and nation that law enforcement who enforce the law, must also abide by the same law.. In May 2019, a 68-year-old Black woman named Stephanie Bottom was pulled over by officers from the Rowan County Sheriffs Office and the Salisbury Police Department. Bottom pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights. Have a tip we should know? 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? 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. Do you live in the next East Palestine? This docket was last retrieved on June 15, 2021. Bottom insists to the white officers that she was unaware she was being told to pull over due to loud music in her car. 2001-2023 Dante Lee International | All Rights Reserved. It is an absolute pleasure to know her and have worked with her.. Prison is state-sponsored violence. 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 later pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights, while two other charges of speeding and resisting arrest were ultimately dropped, the newspaper reported. "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. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. Find Stephanie Bottoms's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. 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.. 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. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. Current Address: 7200 Orcutt Ave; Newport News, VA 23605-1916. The Gamecocks responded in the bottom of the seventh with sacrifice plays by Petry and sophomore catcher Talmadge LeCroy. 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.. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiffs purse and vehicle. The actions of officers who abuse their power makes it hard for individuals to trust law enforcement. 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 Interstate 85 as she was traveling to her aunts funeral in Raleigh in May 2019. 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. I wasn't running. 8. 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. Instead, she was handcuffed and the officers searched her car and purse without consent, warrant, or probable cause, which violated Bottoms Fourth Amendment rights, according to the lawsuit. (Hicks, Samantha), Case ASSIGNED to JUDGE WILLIAM L. OSTEEN, JR and MAG/JUDGE JOI ELIZABETH PEAKE. 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. [She] did not pose a threat to [the officers] or anyone else as she had her hands up as she attempted to exit the vehicle. Our complaint alleges these officers had no reason to use any force, much less the level of force they employed. Use the links below to access additional information about this case on the US Court's PACER system. 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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. A subscription to PACER is required. Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. 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 The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiff's purse and vehicle. As is standard, we are unable to comment on pending litigation.. A 68-year-old Atlanta librarian is suing police in Salisbury, North Carolina, claiming excessive force during a 2019 traffic stop. The 68-year-old says initially did not realize that cops were trying to stop her, and that their aggressive actions when she pulled over left her with injuries including a tornrotator cuff. Bottom pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights. McElroy also declined to comment on the pending litigation. Unprofessional conduct, inappropriate comments, and excessive force use negatively impacts police-citizen relationships. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". Bottom claims the officers refused to get her medical treatment even as she told them she was pain, according to the lawsuit. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. She was "terrified," according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. 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. According to WBTV, community members want more from the Salisbury Police and Rowan Sheriff. 'I was shaking in fear,' Bottom said to the Observer. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By Stephanie Hubler | Feb. 23 Send Here's why. Show our community and nation that law enforcement who enforce the law, must also abide by the same law.. A 68-year-old Black woman has filed a King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. Bottom was listening to music while driving to her auntie funeral during the time and didnt WebFound 17 records for Stephanie Austin in North Carolina. The officers are then seen pinning both of her arms behind her back to put handcuffs on Bottom. A 68-year-old Black librarian from Georgia has filed a civil rights lawsuit against police officers over a traffic stop gone awry. Black librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. 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 The officers, from the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriffs Department, pulled Bottom over as she drove to a funeral. Eventually, Bottom received medical attention at the scene and was taken to the hospital, the lawsuit says. Phone Number: 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, 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 Derek Chauvin trial juror details courtroom experience, deliberations: 'You're watching somebody die on a daily basis'. 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