December 13th 2023.
Outrage and condemnation erupted after body cam footage captured police in North Carolina tackling, punching, and kneeing a Black woman, Christina Pierre, while arresting her and a companion on November 13th. The officers had confronted the pair for allegedly smoking marijuana in a park.
Local residents and activists were appalled by the excessive use of force, with one man, Abdul Evans, telling WSOC-TV, "It doesn't really matter, unless someone takes a gun out and points at you, you shouldn't be beating on anyone." Activist Kass Ottley echoed this sentiment, stating, "It took 17 blows to get her to complain. That's insane to me. The use of force does not fit the situation and they are supposed to de-escalate the situation."
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department defended the officers' actions, releasing a statement saying, "These are tense situations that have the potential to escalate quickly...Police use of force is never easy to watch. Officers are trained to strike large muscle groups in order to gain compliance during an arrest."
Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott acknowledged the severity of the crime and the unnecessary use of force, while fast-food chain Bojangles, where Pierre and Lee were employed, confirmed that the individuals had recently finished their shifts. The company expressed shock and sadness over the incident, pledging full cooperation with any investigation and confirming that both employees remain employed by the company.
The incident resulted in an internal affairs investigation which cleared six of the seven officers involved, and all charges against Pierre and Lee were dropped. The video of the incident has sparked public outrage, with many condemning the use of excessive force against Pierre and her companion.
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