Officer suspended for striking woman during Charlotte arrest, chief says

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – One Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer has been disciplined after an internal investigation in the wake of a controversial arrest last month.

The announcement was made by CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings on Tuesday afternoon, hours after footage from body-worn cameras was released.

Jennings said the allegation of excessive use of force against CMPD Ofc. Vincent Pistone was sustained after the investigation was concluded.

The investigation stemmed from 17 strikes being delivered to the leg of a woman identified as Christina Pierre as officers attempted to place her in custody.








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“Officer Pistone’s first three strikes were effective. Those strikes allowed for officers to get Ms. Pierre’s hands behind her back,” Jennings said during a news conference. “The officers then proceeded to try and handcuff her as Officer Pistone continued to deliver 14 additional strikes to her leg. Those 14 additional strikes were determined by the Independent Chain of Command Review Board that they were not justified. I concurred with that and I agreed with that decision.”

Jennings said Pistone was given a 40-hour suspension and will also go through additional training.

CMPD released the footage of the arrest after the Charlotte City Council reviewed it at Monday night’s meeting. A judge granted the department’s request to release the videos.

WATCH ALL 32 CLIPS HERE

CMPD released over 30 videos Tuesday, which come from several officers’ body cams and a street camera. The footage shows everything from the initial encounter between police, Pierre and Anthony Lee outside of a Bojangles on Arrowood Road on Nov. 13, all the way up to the arrests.

In one video, two officers are seen approaching Pierre and Lee at a bus stop outside the Bojangles restaurant and asking if the couple is smoking weed.

Pierre says she bought the cigarette at a smoke shop.

Moments later, officers begin detaining Pierre and Lee, with the two repeatedly asking why. Officers do not tell the two why they’re being detained.

Pierre and Lee are both seen struggling with the officers. Both are brought to the ground by police.

From another body camera, officers are seen rushing in as backup while Pierre and Lee are both on the ground.

One video shows an officer knee and punch Pierre repeatedly as she lay on the ground.

Several bystanders recorded video of the arrest. Their video showed an officer punch and kick Pierre several times, targeting a specific nerve to get her to comply.

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Her attorney, Lauren Newton, said the footage did not show the moment an officer punched her in the face, which police said happened after she punched an officer twice in the face.

Although CMPD said the substance Pierre was smoking tested positive for marijuana, her attorney said she and the man were smoking a legal substance called THCA, which she said was legally purchased at a smoke shop.

The charges against Pierre and the man were dropped by the district attorney nearly two weeks ago.

The videos released Tuesday by CMPD also include interviews with witnesses who tell investigators the actions of the officers were out of line.

Those witnesses are seen on body cam begging officers to get off Pierre.

WBTV will have more on this development throughout the day. Download the free WBTV News app for updates sent straight to your phone.

Related: ‘We’re going to fight’: Woman at center of controversial CMPD arrest speaks for first time

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