A 66-year-old woman from Kinston, North Carolina, named Marilyn Fields, is planning to file a federal lawsuit after being forcefully thrown to the ground by a rookie police officer, 22-year-old Karl “Blake” Davis, from the Kinston Police Department.
Fields has retained civil rights attorneys Ira Braswell from Braswell Law in Louisburg and Chantel Cherry-Lassiter from Chantel Cherry-Lassiter Law Office, PLLC in Elizabeth City to represent her.
Attorney Braswell told The North Carolina Beat that Fields, who once had faith in the justice system, has lost that trust following her encounter with the Kinston Police.
“She’s always had faith in the system, and she just lost it,” attorney Braswell said. “This incident has shaken her faith in government institutions.”
Kinston rookie cop uses excessive force on 66-year-old woman at Piggly Wiggly on N. Heritage Street
On July 18, 2024, Fields went to a Piggly Wiggly store on N. Heritage Street to pick up one item, parking in the fire lane, forgetting her rain gear at home.
Before she could get to her item, an employee of the store made an announcement about vehicles in the fire lane. Fields returned to her car without purchasing her item, where Officer Davis was speaking to another driver. As she attempted to leave, Davis got in front of her car, demanded her driver’s license, leading to a confrontation where he forcibly removed her from her vehicle, pinned her against it, and slammed her to the ground while accusing her of resisting.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW:
Braswell mentioned that he has spoken to other Kinston residents and they reported similar violent encounters with Kinston police.
“We spoke with some other folks in Kinston who have experienced similar types of violence from the police,” Braswell said.
He has also informed the U.S. Department of Justice about the violation of Fields‘ civil rights when she sought to file a complaint against Davis.
“We have also notified the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice about Captain Willis’s refusal to provide my client with a complaint form, which is mandated by the Department of Justice”, Braswell said.
In interest, a news reporter contacted Fields for a statement regarding comments made by Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette.
“The person from the press informed Reverend Fields that the police chief said their officer used the least amount of force to make the arrest,” Braswell said. “So, your officer thought it was necessary to snatch a 66-year-old grandmother out of her car, put handcuffs on her, and throw her to the ground in the rain to serve a parking citation?”
In response to that, Braswell said that if Davis‘s actions were deemed necessary for issuing a parking citation, then the citizens of Kinston and Lenoir County should be able to take actions necessary to protect themselves.
“If that’s necessary for him to serve a parking citation, then I believe that the citizens of Kinston and Lenoir County need to take whatever actions are necessary to protect themselves, Braswell said.
Braswell noted that Fields had never experienced police violence before this incident, and he criticized Chief Goyette‘s recent remarks as insensitive. He also added that Fields had pre-existing serious injuries to her back and her hip and this incident has placed her in more excruciating pains.
Davis charged Fields with resisting a public officer and issued her a parking citation.
