San Diego sheriff’s deputies dragged a woman out of her car during a traffic stop, claiming she had battered one of them, when all she did was lift his emergency vest to see his name tag.
The incident, caught on a deputy’s body cam, exposes the bullying arrogance that has become the norm these days with law enforcement officers.
They truly believe they are untouchable.
The video was posted on Facebook on June 17 by Mary Frances Prevost, the woman’s lawyer, with the following:
> Friends: This woman was charged with assault on an officer and resisting arrest. She touched put her finger on his vest to lift it so she could see his name after asking repeatedly. When she touched it, he retreated and said se assaulted him and was going to jail. Do you think this is a battery on an officer or a 148? She was thrown to the ground ad severely injured. — in San Marcos, CA.
A CBS 8 article two days later stated that Bana Mouwakeh, initially pulled over for speeding, was ultimately charged with battery and resisting arrest.
The deputy, Agustin Rosas Verion, said he had to drag her out of the car and handcuff her because otherwise, she may have “initiated a pursuit situation, endangering her and the general public.”
But the video doesn’t show any of that, so it’s surprising they even released the video, which becomes another example of police will use “safety” to justify violence and abuse of power.
According to [__CBS 8__](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/cop-cam-put-to-the-test-in-unusual-assault-case):
> She says she repeatedly asked the deputy for his name and he just ignored her, and when she reached over and touched him, she was simply trying to see his badge. In the video, you can hear her say she wants his name as the deputy opens the door.
> “I pleaded with him, ‘I’m going to have hip surgery and I just had knee surgery, please can we just negotiate this,’” she said.
> She says what happened next would cause emotional and physical pain.
> “My right wrist was handcuffed so tight it cut off the circulation to my fingers, and I still get numbness in that right hand,” she said.
> As for Deputy Verion, in his report he says Mouwakeh repeatedly yelled at him when he asked for her license and registration. He called the touch willful and unlawful force against him. He also said he arrested her so she couldn’t flee the scene and had he not, she could have “initiated a pursuit situation, endangering her and the general public.”
