mrsat_98
11-19-2010, 05:59 AM
Six times stunned, hearing imparied Homer woman says
HOMER — A hearing impaired Homer woman has filed a lawsuit against the Homer Police Department and individual officers, claiming a violation of her civil rights and police brutality in her arrest over a year ago in which she was stunned with a Taser six times.
In addition to the Police Department, plaintiff Vernicia Bender also names the town, Police Chief Russell Mills and officers Roger Smith, Mario Thomas, Scott Glenn and Evan McDaniel as defendants in her lawsuit filed in U.S. Western District Court in Shreveport. Bender is seeking $500,000 from each defendant.
Bender claims she was "brutally attacked" by Smith and the other defendants at her home on Author Street on Sept. 26, 2009. Bender said in the court documents that her hearing impairment and reliance upon lip reading was known to at least one of the officers.
Bender said the incident happened after Smith stopped her 16-year-old daughter in the front driveway of her home. Officers had their guns drawn on the juvenile who was handcuffed and lying in the mud.
In the lawsuit, Bender said she was "panicked" at the sight and attempted to find out what was going on but she could not understand the officers. She then realized her vehicle appeared to be overheating and smoking so she went to it, turned it off and removed the keys.
Officers confronted her about what she removed from the car, but Bender said she replied she removed the keys. Bender said she then was hit from behind by Smith and felt a jolt in her side as a Taser was deployed on her. Bender said Smith deployed the device on her six times.
On Oct. 20, 2009, Bender was charged with obstructing justice and resisting arrest. The charges were dismissed Feb. 3 in Claiborne District Court.
HOMER — A hearing impaired Homer woman has filed a lawsuit against the Homer Police Department and individual officers, claiming a violation of her civil rights and police brutality in her arrest over a year ago in which she was stunned with a Taser six times.
In addition to the Police Department, plaintiff Vernicia Bender also names the town, Police Chief Russell Mills and officers Roger Smith, Mario Thomas, Scott Glenn and Evan McDaniel as defendants in her lawsuit filed in U.S. Western District Court in Shreveport. Bender is seeking $500,000 from each defendant.
Bender claims she was "brutally attacked" by Smith and the other defendants at her home on Author Street on Sept. 26, 2009. Bender said in the court documents that her hearing impairment and reliance upon lip reading was known to at least one of the officers.
Bender said the incident happened after Smith stopped her 16-year-old daughter in the front driveway of her home. Officers had their guns drawn on the juvenile who was handcuffed and lying in the mud.
In the lawsuit, Bender said she was "panicked" at the sight and attempted to find out what was going on but she could not understand the officers. She then realized her vehicle appeared to be overheating and smoking so she went to it, turned it off and removed the keys.
Officers confronted her about what she removed from the car, but Bender said she replied she removed the keys. Bender said she then was hit from behind by Smith and felt a jolt in her side as a Taser was deployed on her. Bender said Smith deployed the device on her six times.
On Oct. 20, 2009, Bender was charged with obstructing justice and resisting arrest. The charges were dismissed Feb. 3 in Claiborne District Court.