As you may have recently learned, cops in the United States undergo far less training than officers in, for example, Norway do. In result, Norway police have killed only 2 people in the past decade, whereas U.S. police are responsible for killing 651 in 2016 alone.
Perhaps if the law enforcement workers were educated on how to de-escalate a situation rather than shoot or tase a subject first then ask questions later, many innocent individuals – such as Alton Sterling and Philando Castile – would still be alive.
As it is, a growing percentage of the population – especially those who belong to ethnic minorities – are frightened of becoming the next victim of police brutality. And, situations like the one that follows do little to dissuade that fear.
In March, a 28-year-old woman named Earledreka White was arrested and charged with resisting arrest after she was pulled over in the 10000 block of South Main Street in Houston. White, who works as a social worker and has a master’s degree in psychology, had allegedly crossed a double white line.
After she stopped, she got out of the vehicle to find out why she was pulled over, as well as to retrieve her driver’s license which she said she mistakenly left in her purse in the trunk.
Footage from neighboring businesses reveal Officer G. Luca approaching White and ordering her to get back in the car. Reportedly, he cursed and threatened her with a stun gun, which is why the woman immediately called the 911 dispatcher to ask for another officer to be dispatched to the scene.
Recently, the audio of the event was released, and it’s worth listening to:
The social worker can be heard explaining to the 911 dispatcher that she did nothing wrong and that Luca had no reason to pull her over. She then asked for another officer because the one who pulled her over made her feel uncomfortable. White says:
“I would like another officer to come out here. My heart is racing. I’m really afraid. I have no record, I’m a licensed clinician, and I’m being threatened to be arrested. Can you please get someone out here please?”
The dispatcher redirects her to the MTA police department so that she can request another officer, but while on hold, Luca can be heard talking and shouting indistinguishable phrases.
White responds:
“Please keep your voice down. I’m not raising my voice at you. I’m being very respectful.”
Finally connected with the MTA police department, White then tells the dispatcher that she is being “harassed” by Officer Luca. His response? To grab her and attempt to twist her arm behind her back.
His actions, which White’s attorney says escalated the situation, resulted in her being charged with “resisting arrest.” On the camera, the woman can be seen struggling and heard screaming for him to stop.
In the audio, White yells:
“This man is twisting my arm. Please get your hands off of me. What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this? I haven’t done anything. I am a woman. This man is about to tase me. I have never been treated like this in my life.”
It’s nearly heartbreaking to hear the next part:
“You are hurting me! Oh my god, oh my god! Stop! Please, stop! Can you stop doing this?!”
The Houston Chronicle relays that White was eventually charged with resisting arrest and spent two days in jail until her $1,000 bail could be met. The misdemeanor reportedly carries a sentence of up to six months in jail, but White’s attorney is demanding that it be dismissed.
https://youtu.be/68iaQkgPqXI
According to attorney Zack Fertitta, who is defending White, the officer clearly initiated the altercation without provocation. In result, he is intent on taking the case to trial if the charges are not dropped. Says Fertitta:
“I’m as pro-law-enforcement as they come, but that’s not good police conduct. You can’t escalate a situation and then claim someone is ‘resisting arrest.’ That’s ridiculous.”
Even after launching an investigation, the MTA police department maintains that White is at fault. MTA’s Police Chief Vera Bumpers commented:
“She was uncooperative but he did everything reasonable within the law. He explained what was going on, what the violation was and that he was focused on her safety, as well as his… If you don’t feel comfortable or feel that you’ve been mistreated, you can always file a report later.”
The incident has drawn many comparisons to the arrest of Sandra Bland which took place last year in Waller County. After being pulled over then beaten for failing to signal a lane change, Bland died three days later in jail. Her death was determined to be a suicide, but few activists accepted that ruling.
What are your thoughts? Was the officer correct in this circumstance? Was White? Please comment your thoughts below and share this news.
This article (Cop Assaults Innocent Woman After She Called 911 To Report The Incident) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com
