Supply: Wukela Communications
Charges have been dropped in opposition to 40-year-old Twyla Stallworth, the Black mom who was violently arrested and detained for greater than 12 hours in Andalusia, Alabama, after her neighbor referred to as the police on her over a noise dispute on Feb. 23.
In actual fact, not solely have expenses been dropped in opposition to Stallworth — who was arrested for refusing to current an officer with ID, which she was inside her authorized proper to do since she was in her own residence — however Andalusia Mayor Earl Johnson additionally issued an apology to her on Friday. Nevertheless, Johnson — who’s white — instantly addressed the allegations that Stallworth’s arrest was “racially motivated,” which is to say, he dismissed them outright primarily based on the cop not explicitly displaying racism in video footage of the incident.
“On behalf of the Metropolis of Andalusia and the Andalusia Police Division, I want to apologize to Twyla Stallworth for her arrest in February. All expenses in opposition to Ms. Stallworth are being dropped,” Johnson stated, earlier than going out of his solution to downplay the conduct of Andalusia Police Division Officer Grant Barton. “The arresting officer has a clear document with our division, however he made a mistake on this case on February 23rd. He has been disciplined for failing in his responsibility to know the regulation.”
Johnson continued: “Once I realized about this incident final week, I supplied to satisfy with Ms. Stallworth. She declined. Ms. Stallworth has not filed a grievance with the police division, however her lawyer alleges in his launch that her arrest was racially motivated. We now have reviewed bodycam footage of the incident, and see no proof of racism. We now have all the time labored exhausting in Andalusia to take care of nice relationships amongst our various populations.”
As we beforehand reported, this complete episode began with a white neighbor taking part in loud music, in line with legal professionals for Stallworth, who they stated referred to as the police a number of instances with hopes that the cops would put a cease to the noise. Nevertheless, the cops allegedly ignored these calls however answered the 911 name positioned by the white neighbor, who complained that Stallworth had set off her automotive alarm, reportedly, to battle fireplace with fireplace concerning her loud neighbor.
So, the allegations of racism are primarily based on Stallworth alleging that her calls about her white neighbor’s loud music have been ignored whereas the neighbor’s counter-Karen grievance was swiftly answered and resulted within the Black lady’s arrest, though, as her son even famous on the time, nothing in Alabama regulation requires a citizen to current identification on demand whereas they’re of their houses. (Not that there was any cause to ask for it within the first place.) There’s no approach all of that added context could possibly be considered in video footage, which makes Johnson’s declare that body-cam footage confirmed “no proof of racism” disingenuous, to say the least.
To be honest, Johnson did deal with the calls Stallworth allegedly made, however solely to disclaim they have been ignored.
“Within the video launched by her lawyer, Ms. Stallworth additionally claims that the police division has failed to answer complaints she made about her neighbor. We even have reviewed inside proof that exhibits the police division did reply,” Johnson added.
Discover that Johnson doesn’t hassle mentioning what, if something, got here from the officers’ alleged responses to Stallworth’s calls. If the cops responded, why wasn’t Stallworth conscious, and why is she complaining that the loud music continued? Definitely, Johnson isn’t calling Stallworth a liar, in any other case why apologize in any respect? (You recognize, assuming you’ll name that self-serving, cop-protecting, dismissive nonsense an apology.)
It’s additionally price mentioning that Johnson didn’t hassle addressing and even mentioning the aggressive, arguably violent method through which Stallworth was arrested. It’s virtually as if the only real cause for this “apology” was to seem to handle the difficulty with out truly addressing any of it.
However concern not, officers in Andalusia will obtain “further coaching,” which is odd contemplating Johnson has dismissed or ignored nearly all the pieces the officer in query did fallacious exterior of the arrest itself.
“I’ve met with the Andalusia Police Chief and different leaders within the division,” Johnson stated in his conclusion. “We now have agreed that the complete division will obtain further coaching on Constitutional regulation, the legal guidelines of the State of Alabama, and the Metropolis of Andalusia’s ordinances, so that we’ll not have issues like this one sooner or later.”
Does the great mayor even perceive what the “issues” truly are, although?
That is America.
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