‘I’ve Never Been Through Anything Like This’; Victim of CMPD Hit Speaks Out After She Watches Body Camera Footage
CHARLOTTE – We’re finally hearing from the woman who you’ve seen being hit by police in that video outside a Bojangles. Her lawyer finally got a chance to see the body camera footage of the incident, and says it confirms
that Christina Pierre wasn’t doing anything wrong when police approached her.
Police say Pierre and her boyfriend Anthony Lee were at a bus stop outside Bojangles smoking marijuana, but lawyer Lauren Newton says that’s not actually the case, and the body camera footage shows it.
“It’s exactly what the eyewitness described,” said Newton. “That she held up what appears to be a cigarillo of something that is a legal substance and is repeatedly saying, I bought this legally from a smoke shop and I’m not doing anything. I just got off work.”
Police also spoke today, reconfirming that another officer did indeed punch Pierre in the face.
“An officer did deliver a strike during the initial encounter,” said CMPD’s Lt. Kevin Peitras, “and I want to clarify that that was during the initial encounter, and that happened prior to the encounter that we’ve seen on social media, where the officers are on the ground. Is it confirmed on video that Ms. Pierre hit the officer? the answer is yes. ”
“If the second officer who delivered the 17 blows has already been reassigned, the first officer who delivered the punch. That has now been confirmed by CMPD, which was first confirmed by the eyewitness. That officer should be suspended, as should the officer who delivered the 17 blows,” said Newton.
She also says that based on the video, Pierre was not resisting when she was hit.
“It is clear that she was already down on the ground and her hands were behind her back when at least ten of those blows were delivered.”
Pierre and Lee released this video to social media earlier today thanking the community for their support.
“I’ve never been through anything like this,” said Pierre, “but for anybody that is going through any type of mistreatment from those that are supposed to serve and protect us, we’re going to fight to make sure all this gets justice. and it’s right for all of us.
