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. This week, we watched as a 2019 traffic stop video surfaced of officers from Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department using excessive force to arrest Stephanie Bottom, a 68-year-old Black librarian from Atlanta, wrote Gemale Black, President of the Salisbury-Rowan chapter of the NAACP in a statement. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. 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. 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. 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 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 with the Rowan County Sheriffs 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. 2. WebStunningly Stephanie is a professional Logistics and Consulting business that supports federal, state and local government, private, for-profit and non-profit organizations. 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. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. 'I was getting ready to die. After the search, officers told Bottom to stand, but she said she couldnt due to the pain in her shoulder, according to the suit. She says when she finally realized she was being pursued by police, it took awhile for her to find a safe placeto pull over. Ms. Bottom wasnt even arrested.. The Charlotte Observer reported Stephanie Bottom, an Atlanta native and librarian, filed her lawsuit on April 21 and claimed a group of white officers used excessive force when they pulled her over. She pleaded guilty to failure to heed blue lights and the other charges against her were dismissed. 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?' 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 "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. AGE. Stephanie Bottom said she was driving to North Carolina for a funeral when she was pulled over for suspected speeding. During this time, Bouk is heard on the body camera footage saying, Thats good police work baby to other officers, according to the suit. 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. When she came to a stop, she says cops rushed toward her with guns drawn. 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 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. 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. Stephanie Bottom filed a federal lawsuit against NC police claiming officers violated her rights by using excessive force. King World Productions Inc. 2023 Inside Edition Inc. and CBS interactive Inc., Paramount companies. 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. A 68-year-old Atlanta librarian is suing police in Salisbury, North Carolina, claiming excessive force during a 2019 traffic stop. Body cam footage shows that in a matter of a few seconds, Bottom appears to be taken out of the car by force and pinned to the ground, with her face down and officers pushing on her arm. The suit alleges that in his official capacity he "approved and condoned the unlawful behavior.". 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. Posted by 10 months ago. "Why are you doing this to me? Bottom is heard telling officers. 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. The just-released body cam video 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. 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. 2001-2023 Dante Lee International | All Rights Reserved. She was "terrified," according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. 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.. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. 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. Read More: Police video shows officer using stun gun on handcuffed man. WebStephanie Smith is a student in the MBA program at North Carolina Central University . All Rights Reserved. Bottom insists to the white officers that she was unaware she was being told to pull over due to loud music in her car. [emailprotected]. The officers are then seen pinning both of her arms behind her back to put handcuffs on Bottom. The mainstream narrative that criminalizes Black and Brown people must be transformedso that we can all get free. Its unclear how close police were to Bottoms vehicle before she pulled over, as the footage only shows the inside of the police vehicle and the sky. Ms. Bottom wasn't even arrested.'. 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. Access this case on the North Carolina Middle District Court's Electronic Court Filings (ECF) System. 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. 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. (Hicks, Samantha), CASE REFERRED to Mediation pursuant to Local Rule 83.9b of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of this Court. 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. 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. The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. At one point, she begged for medical attention, as well for an opportunity to call her family. The police department in Salisbury said they would not comment when contacted by Inside Edition. 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. Find Dr. Newby's phone number, address, hospital affiliations and more. The lawsuit filed Wednesday by Stephanie Bottom of Atlanta says she posed no threat to officers from the Salisbury Police Department and the Rowan County When they grabbed me and threw me to the ground, thats when the real terror struck me that I was going to die.'. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Utah lawmaker accused of trying to intimidate deputies into freeing his burglar son, Bodycam video shows Tyre Nichols yell mom as hes being beaten, tased by Memphis police, Heinous body camera footage of Tyre Nichols beating to be released Friday evening, Police chief warns Memphis not to react violently after release of Tyre Nichols inhumane beating video. In a statement cited in theGrio, President of the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP chapter Gemale Black succinctly summarized the injustice inflicted on Stephanie Bottom: This week, we watched as a 2019 traffic stop video surfaced of officers from Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department using excessive force to arrest Stephanie Bottom, a 68-year-old Black librarian from AtlantaUnprofessional conduct, inappropriate comments, and excessive force use negatively impacts police-citizen relationships. WebStephanie is a creative chef who has turned growing up in the South into the soul of her restaurant, Sweet Potatoes. Have a tip we should know? 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. Stephanie F. Newby is a Neurologist in Charlotte, NC. She was terrified, according to the lawsuit, as officers shouted at her to exit the vehicle. While following behind Plaintiff, Defendant [, limiting the use of [Bottoms] shoulder.. Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. 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. One of the officers named in the lawsuit, Barkalow, declined to comment, but said he no longer works for the police department. 6:10 AM EDT, Wed April 28, 2021, Police pull Black woman by hair, injure her shoulder in traffic stop.