Photo: Getty Images
A Black woman has been awarded $62,000 after she said she was wrongfully imprisoned, hit with a Taser, and tackled by correctional officers.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Joanna Obuzor settled her lawsuit alleging unlawful arrest, assault, and battery with Allegheny County.
The settlement stemmed from Obuzor's October 2021 detainment, which occurred after she had left a book club meeting late at night, according to her lawsuit. The lawsuit states that Obuzor felt too tired to drive, so she decided to park on Fifth Avenue in Oakland to take a nap.
Obuzor allegedly woke up the next morning surrounded by police. She was charged with public drunkenness and taken into custody. During her detainment, Obuzor said she was tackled and shocked with a Taser by corrections officers.
According to the lawsuit, Obuzor spent 15 hours in jail. When she asked to see a judge, a correctional officer allegedly told Obuzor her to “shut the [expletive] up” and that he would “beat [her] [expletive].”
The detainment left Obuzor with burns, a sprain wrist, a torn ligament in her elbow, a fractured toe, and extensive bruising, according to the suit. Charges against Obuzor were later dropped.
Obuzor initially sued the city and county in August 2023 over the incident. Last July, the city was dismissed as a defendant in Obuzor's case.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.