The Beating of Kenya Harris By Police Caused Her To Miscarry Unborn Child, Lawsuit Claims

Police Officers beat a Georgia woman so badly inside a police station that she suffered a miscarriage, according to a new lawsuit filed by the woman. The incident took place in 2011.

Kenya Harris wasn’t even the one in trouble with police, according to the Huffington Post. The pregnant woman was at the station to pick up her son, a minor, who had been arrested on unknown charges. After being at the station for five hours, the mother of five asked an officer when she could leave, because she had children at home that needed her to care for them. This angered the officer, according to a lawsuit filed in Albany, Georgia. According to Courthouse News, the lawsuit reads in part that the beating was unprovoked.

“Defendant Officer Jenkins stated that he did not appreciate the tone in which she was communicating with him, and further stated that if she continued he would take her head and ‘put it to the floor,'” the complaint states. “She again stated that she needed to leave. Defendant Officer Jenkins, without provocation, grabbed plaintiff, who weighs less than one hundred twenty (120) pounds, by her neck and slammed her to the ground. Plaintiff momentarily blacked out and came to with defendant Officer Jenkins sitting on her back, and with his knee on her arm. Plaintiff was pregnant at the time.”

The lawsuit alleges that Harris was then arrested for obstruction of justice. The next day, she began to have medical problems and claims she was denied care while in jail. Only after making bail was she able to seek medical treatment, where she learned her unborn child was deceased, the plaintiff claims.

Harris now requests $50,000 in punitive damages, arguing that the officer caused the miscarriage an subsequent suffering and medical bills, according to the lawsuit.

“Her severe physical harm caused the loss of her baby, when less force was required and should have been used.”

It is unknown how far along in the pregnancy Harris was, but the lawsuit states that she suffered other injuries besides miscarriage, pain and suffering. The lawsuit also alleges that she was treated for a knee contusion, neck spasms, muscle pain and contusions to her body, just one day after the incident when she sought medical care.

Harris’ lawsuit comes on the heels of several incidents of police brutality that have led to riots and civil unrest.

Stating that the city has yet to be served, the Albany Police department declined to comment on the case.

[photo via police state daily]