Post by WaTcHeR on Oct 16, 2006 10:59:57 GMT -5
10.16.2006 - OTTAWA HILLS, Ohio -- Village leaders released police video Thursday of a controversial traffic stop and arrest by one of their own officers, NewsChannel5 partner ONN reported.
The video has prompted the officer's resignation, and accusations of racism from the victim and her lawyer.
The controversial arrest happened last month in West Toledo.
Ottawa Hills police officer Mark Deters pulled over Latoya Brown and her father, Charles, as they were driving home at 1 a.m. After a battery of tests to see if Brown was sober, he gave her a ticket for speeding.
At that point, officials said Brown threw the ticket back at Deters. He opened the door and pulled her from the SUV. Officials said he grabbed her by the hair, threw her against the back of the SUV and put a knee in her back and cuffed her.
Deter threatened to use pepper spray against her father if he tried to step in, village leaders said.
Throughout the arrest Brown called Deters a racist, officials said. Brown's lawyer said it showed a possible pattern of police racism in Ottawa Hills.
"We do know that there have been incidents in the past relative to race and excessive force in Ottawa Hills. This incident does lead to questions as to whether that is continuing," said Richard Mitchell, Brown's attorney.
Ottawa Hills village leaders said this is an isolated incident that's been taken care of with Deters' resignation.
www.newsnet5.com/news/10076942/detail.html
The video has prompted the officer's resignation, and accusations of racism from the victim and her lawyer.
The controversial arrest happened last month in West Toledo.
Ottawa Hills police officer Mark Deters pulled over Latoya Brown and her father, Charles, as they were driving home at 1 a.m. After a battery of tests to see if Brown was sober, he gave her a ticket for speeding.
At that point, officials said Brown threw the ticket back at Deters. He opened the door and pulled her from the SUV. Officials said he grabbed her by the hair, threw her against the back of the SUV and put a knee in her back and cuffed her.
Deter threatened to use pepper spray against her father if he tried to step in, village leaders said.
Throughout the arrest Brown called Deters a racist, officials said. Brown's lawyer said it showed a possible pattern of police racism in Ottawa Hills.
"We do know that there have been incidents in the past relative to race and excessive force in Ottawa Hills. This incident does lead to questions as to whether that is continuing," said Richard Mitchell, Brown's attorney.
Ottawa Hills village leaders said this is an isolated incident that's been taken care of with Deters' resignation.
www.newsnet5.com/news/10076942/detail.html