CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Body camera video from the controversial arrest of a woman in southwest Charlotte last month was released Tuesday morning by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Video of the arrest was shared widely on social media because an officer could be seen repeatedly punching a woman while other officers held her to the the ground.
For the first time Tuesday, CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings announced one officer would face disciplinary action following the incident.
The incident happened on Nov. 13 when officers attempted to detain Christina Pierre and Anthony Lee at a bus stop along South Tryon Street near West Arrowood Road.
Body camera video released Tuesday confirmed what law enforcement initially said following the incident: That Pierre and Lee were seen smoking at a Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) bus stop. Officers believed the substance to be marijuana while Pierre said they legally obtained the substance from a smoke shop.
Bojangles would later confirm the two were employees of the adjacent restaurant location.
As officers attempt to detain the couple, they refuse. The video shows Pierre trying to physically move away from the officer. Video recorded on a cell phone by a witness shows Pierre hitting the officer with her hand. In return, the officer punches Pierre and knocks her to the ground.
Officers called for backup as they continued to restrain Pierre and Lee in an attempt to arrest both of them. Additional officers arrive and help hold them to the ground.
Now in handcuffs, one group of police officers move Lee toward a police car. The second group of officers can be seen holding Pierre to the ground. Officers can be heard instructing her to put her hands behind her back. Officers are still trying to place her in cuffs.
As seen in the initial video shared on social media, the body camera video shows an officer repeatedly striking Pierre in the thigh as officers hold her to the ground. CMPD previously said the punching of a person in the thigh is standard protocol when an officer is trying to restrain a person who is resisting arrest.
Additional officers can be seen trying to keep a growing crowd of witnesses away.
Pierre was initially charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest and simple possession of marijuana. The charges against Pierre and the man have since been dropped.
Body camera video confirmed Tuesday a gun was found inside Lee's bag.
CMPD Chief Jennings and Pierre's attorney both issued statements shortly after the incident calling for the video to be made public, with Jennings saying he believed it would clear up what happened that day. In North Carolina, a judge must order the release of police officer-worn bodycam footage.
"I watched the body-worn camera footage and believe that it tells more of the story than what is circulating on social media," Jennings wrote in his statement on X. "The public deserves to view this footage as well."
Hours after the videos were released Tuesday, Jennings talked with reporters at police headquarters.
During that news conference, Jennings announced the department's internal affairs investigation found one officer acted inappropriately. The internal investigation found the officer continued to strike Pierre even after she was restrained and under control.
“Fourteen strikes to the female’s leg came after her hands were behind her back," Jennings said. "These strikes were not deemed justified. If the officer made an assessment after three leg strikes, he would have seen that they were effective, and the female’s hands were behind her back."
That officer will face 40 hours of suspension and additional training, Jennings said.
The same internal investigation cleared all other officers of any wrongdoing.
Pierre's attorney Lauren Newton said she is not satisfied with the results and feels the internal investigation was rushed.
“We agree that those 14 compliance blows as they're calling them were not justified,” Newton said. “We believe all 17 were not justified. In addition, the punch to the face was not justified and that officer has not been disciplined.”
Newton said that, in the end, they want to see changes to how CMPD handles arrests like these.
“We need to focus on policy change and I'm encouraged that there is going to be this new community and police collaboration group,” Newton said. “While I understand the logic in having the discussions of this group be kept confidential, to encourage open dialogue. I sincerely hope that the recommendations of the group will be public, even if not adopted by CMPD.”
CMPD put together a community relations group to review police policies. The group is expected to start in January.
Newton said they plan to file a lawsuit in the case.
A Mecklenburg County judge approved the public release of the video on Nov. 30, citing "compelling public interest" in the case. Charlotte City Council reviewed the video Monday during a closed session. Councilwoman Tiawana Brown, who represents the area where the incident happened, said it was difficult to watch.
"I didn't like the video at all," Brown said. "I shared my concerns in there with Chief Jennings, but I do have a great relationship with Jennings and I trust that he will make the right decision after looking at all the investigations in all fairness, for everybody to look at the video and see exactly what comes out of it. But for me, it was hard for me to watch."
Community activist Will Adams has been working with Pierre and sees this as an opportunity for policy change and a way to improve police and community interactions in the future.
"How should we react during this situation, how should we act under that situation?" Adams said. "How should you guys act under this situation, what is your policy what are your procedures?"
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP President, Corine Mack, has also spoken out against the way officers handled the situation and is calling for change in policing.
"This goes beyond creating new policies," Mack told WCNC Charlotte. "There were policies in place that were violated that day. This is about how we treat each other in terms of our humanity. This is about implicit bias and bias."
Mack also raised concerns about CMPD policing itself with an internal review and would have rather had the State Bureau of Investigation oversee the review. Mack will be part of CMPD's community relations group.
All of the videos released Tuesday, including a narration provided by CMPD, can be viewed on the department's YouTube channel.