A routine tire change on a quiet Alabama road escalated into a traumatic encounter when police officers allegedly subjected a Black man to excessive force, leaving him in pain and handcuffed. Micah Washington, who was 24 at the time of the December 2023 incident, is now suing the city of Reform and two officers—Dana Elmore and her husband, former Pickens County Sheriff’s Deputy Jody Elmore—claiming that racial bias and police misconduct led to his arrest and physical abuse. The $20 million lawsuit was filed this week and includes allegations of wrongful detainment, malicious prosecution, and deliberate indifference.
The lawsuit details how the incident began when Officer Dana Elmore confronted Washington while he was changing a flat tire near his aunt’s house. When Elmore demanded to see his identification, Washington asserted his rights and declined, stating that he had done nothing wrong. Moments later, after Washington began recording the interaction on his phone, Elmore tased him, causing him to collapse to the ground before she handcuffed him. The officer tased him again while he was restrained and allegedly told him to “shut the f*ck up” as he cried out in pain.
Washington was initially charged with multiple offenses, including fentanyl trafficking, obstructing government operations, resisting arrest, and possession of marijuana. However, the fentanyl charge was dismissed after it was revealed that the substance found on him was not fentanyl. His attorney, Leroy Maxwell Jr., has called for the dismissal of the remaining charges, suggesting that the marijuana may have been planted by the officers. “My clients are clear victims of police misconduct, racial bias, and systemic racism,” Maxwell said.
The confrontation also involved Washington’s friend Jacorien Henry and his 17-year-old brother, Shakeem, both of whom are also plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The suit highlights how police intervention quickly escalated beyond the initial encounter, alleging that Elmore’s actions were fueled by her “bruised ego” after Washington asserted his rights. The legal team argues that the officers’ actions resulted in irreparable physical and emotional damage, emphasizing that the altercation reflects broader systemic problems within American policing.
Following the incident, Elmore was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. The status of her employment remains unclear, but the case has drawn attention to longstanding concerns about racial profiling and excessive force within law enforcement. For Washington and his legal team, the lawsuit is about more than compensation; it’s about accountability and exposing the institutional failures that enabled the abuse.
Recent Comments