Wooden gavel

The ACLU of Mississippi filed a lawsuit on behalf of our client, Deborah Powell, against the City of Lexington, Lexington police officer, Charles Henderson, and John Doe officer I, for violation of Ms. Powell's rights under the under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.

According to the complaint, on November 22, 2021, Deborah Young traveled to Lexington Police Department from Memphis, TN, to secure her son, Andrial Young's, release, a plaintiff in a different lawsuit. Deborah paid a cash fine of $500 for two tickets but received four receipts. When Deborah questioned the receipts, the officer responded that one was for the drug charge, one was for not wearing a seat belt, one was for not having insurance, and another for an invalid driver’s license.

After several court appearances, due to lack of evidence and factual support for the citations, the judge ordered Andrial be reimbursed for fines he paid.  On December 30, 2021, Deborah went into the police station to receive reimbursement for Andrial’s tickets, as ordered by the court, but was instructed to leave by Henderson. Deborah explained that she was waiting for the police chief to process the reimbursement.  Following this conversation, she was physically confronted, grabbed by her shoulder, thrown against the wall, and subsequently grabbed by the arm and neck before being thrown to the floor. Henderson pinned Deborah to the floor by keeping his knee on her back. Henderson then handcuffed her, stating, “your ass is going to county.” Deborah vocally asserted that she was merely waiting for her money. Henderson proceeded to take her to the car and transport her to jail.

Deborah spent five days and four nights in jail. Throughout this time, her throat was severely injured and sore. Due to this injury, she was unable to eat throughout her time in jail and began to feel faint. Her request to see a doctor was denied, and she was told they could not take her to a doctor. Deborah was released only after Andrial paid bail of approximately $400-$500.

The actions against Deborah are consistent with a history of police misconduct in Lexington and in line with investigative findings published in a Department of Justice report earlier this year. The LPD has routinely engaged in unconstitutional, racially-motivated police misconduct.

This lawsuit is filed as part of our Police Accountability initiative, an effort to enlist law firms, private attorneys and community organizations to bring lawsuits to stop poiice violence and harassment.

 

Date filed

December 18, 2024

Status

Filed

Case number

3:24-cv-00815-CWR-ASH