Attorney wants beating of shackled woman investigated as hate crime

[Judi Lynn]

Source: News4jax


Jacksonville corrections officer fired after incident in jail, JSO says
By Jenese Harris - Reporter/anchor, Ashley Harding - Reporter, Crystal Chen - Assignment editor/reporter
Posted: 8:45 AM, July 09, 2018
Updated: 2:14 PM, July 09, 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - National civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said Monday morning that the beating of a shackled pregnant woman in the Duval County jail should be investigated as a hate crime because racial slurs were hurled at the woman by the since-fired corrections officer.

Crump's law firm is representing Kirenda Welch, who was arrested June 29 on a suspended license charge after she made an illegal turn.

Welch said she never imagined when she was taken downtown that she would "be the victim of police brutality."

She said things escalated after she arrived at the jail, where investigators said she exchanged insults with Officer Catherine Thompson, who then beat Welch after she was placed in four-point restraints.

Read more: https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/jacksonville/pregnant-woman-beaten-while-shackled-gets-high-profile-attorney

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. "Officer was still in her probationary period with the Sheriff's Office and was fired immediately."

Suspended license is a fine here in Ala. Cannot even imagine why she was arrested.

I CAN imagine the lawsuit tho, the county is gonna have to pay up. Wonder if they, in turn, will sue the officer?

[csziggy]

2. We KNOW why she was arrested

From the article linked in the OP:

“This Officer Thompson called me Kunta Kinte several times before she put me in shackles at the ankles and handcuffs at the wrists. I complied with every one of her requests. I complied with her requests to shackle me only for her to punch me in the face and stomach over a dozen times,” Welch said. “I was just in disbelief.”

She said other officers watched as she was hit and pepper-sprayed while defenseless on the ground.

Every officer who was there and who did not intervene should be fired also - or at least taken off duty with no pay. They were complicit in the unprovoked attack on this woman.

[riversedge]

3. yes, the other officers who just watched need to face Lady Justice also!