Arkansas Woman Awarded $4,000 by Federal Jury Against Texarkana Police
by Christopher Zoukis
After suing Texarkana Police over Fourth Amendment civil rights violations, a female truck driver was awarded $4,000 in damages by an Arkansas federal jury.
On October 25, 2005, long-haul truck driver Bobbie Green parked her truck at a truck stop for the night. On her walk back to her vehicle after using the restroom, a man asked her three times if she was a prostitute. She replied by using her middle finger. The man, who turned out to be a truck stop security guard, met her at her vehicle and told her she would have to leave. Green refused and got into her truck.
The security guard called the police, and Texarkana Officers Todd Harness and Holly Monroe responded. Harness went over to Green's truck, demanding that she exit the vehicle. When Green cracked the door to tell him that she needed to put some clothes on first, Harness allegedly pulled her out, threw her to the pavement, pushed her head down, and put his knees in her back.
At this point, Green was only wearing panties, and she objected to being yanked out while wearing so little. She was then pulled up and made to stand in the parking lot for 20 minutes while Harness searched her truck, in plain view of other truckers passing by.
After the search, Harness told Monroe to place Green under arrest, and Green resisted Monroe's attempts to handcuff her. She was placed in the police car and taken to jail. An employee at the detention center offered Green a jumpsuit to cover herself.
Green was found guilty of disorderly conduct and failure to submit to arrest.
On April 3, 2007, Green sued Harness, Monroe and the City of Texarkana in U.S. District Court for violating her Fourth Amendment rights. On May 14, 2009, Judge Harry F. Barnes granted summary judgment on all claims except for the Fourth Amendment claims against Harness and Monroe individually. On September 30, a jury returned a verdict in favor of Monroe, but against Harness, awarding Green $4,000 in damages.
See: Green v. City of Texarkana, et al., United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Case No. 4:07-cv-04032-HFB (Sept. 30, 2009)
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Related legal case
Green v. City of Texarkana, et al., United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
| Year | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Cite | Case No. 4:07-CV-04032-HFB (Sept. 30, 2009) |
| Level | District Court |
| Conclusion | Jury Verdict |
| Damages | 4,000 |