Plaintiff:
Morrisetta Barksdale-Sullers
Incident date:
12/15/2010
Location:
407 W. 77th St.
Allegations:
McWilliams and Barksdale-Sullers were leaving a friend's home in the Ashburn neighborhood after a family gathering when officers stopped them. McWilliams was driving his car and Barksdale-Sullers was in the front passenger seat. McWilliams pulled out from his parking space and drove a very short distance when Officers Abdelmajeid, Cintron, Jaber and Corral, who were in plainclothes in an unmarked squad car, drove up behind them and signaled for them to stop. The officers approached McWilliams' car from both sides while holding him and Barksdale-Sullers at gunpoint. McWilliams opened his window and handed one of the officers his valid driver's license and insurance card. The officers ordered McWilliams and Barksdale-Sullers out of the car. McWilliams and Barksdale-Sullers got out of the car. The officers searched them and the car and did not find anything illegal. When uniformed officers arrived at the scene one of the arresting officers proclaimed loudly that McWilliams was intoxicated. McWilliams was sober. Barksdale-Sullers, who suffers from a fainting condition, became upset and collapsed; one officer kicked and pulled her by her coat while she was on the ground. The officers ordered McWilliams to get inside a marked police sport-utility vehicle. He could not comply because of the height of the vehicle and the fact that his hands were handcuffed behind his back. The officers then accused him of resisting arrest and shot him twice with a Taser gun, causing him to fall to the ground. McWilliams has a heart condition, and was afraid the shocks would affect the functioning of his heart. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and released back to the police. He was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and various traffic offenses. His car was also impounded and not returned. These charges were eventually dismissed.