Personal account of police brutality here in Rochester

Don't think for a moment that this can't happen just because ...

To All This Should Concern:

I live in the 19th Ward off Genensee Park Blvd.

This is a detailed account of the excessive force, police brutality that occurred on Friday, March 27, 2009 @ 9:20 PM.

I left work at the University of Rochester at 9:10 PM, pulled into the parking lot on Chili Avenue next to phone booth/liquor store (closed) and Sunoco gas station to make phone call, music playing softly and relaxing for a moment before going home. About 5 minutes after parking, a Gates police car quietly pulled directly behind me and put on flashing lights. He came to my SUV Landrover and said he needed to check my plates. I complied by handing him my insurance, license, and registration. He asked what I was doing; I told him. He wanted to smell my big jug of cranberry juice and water; I complied. He went to his car and came back indicating that he needed to tow my vehicle because of suspended registration....even though everything else was in effect. I asked him if this was necessary and he said he was going to call a tow truck. I called James Caldwell and told him to get at this location QUICK! About 5 minutes later, James arrived as did 2-3 other cop cars and the AAA tow truck. I jumped out of my vehicle and ran to James trying to explain how I could not understand why they needed to tow my SUV. I was abruptly commanded to get back into my vehicle.

I turned and got back into the vehicle and no sooner did I take my seat when the passenger front door opened and an officer LEAPED across the seat and started trying to yank the keys out of the ignition. Instinctively I turned to reach and ask, "what are you doing?" when the driver door opened and two officers yanked me by the collar and threw me violently to the ground. I was kicked and roughed up while on the ground. I recall a knee or foot in my back and my hands were eventually forced behind my back and handcuffed extremely tight. I was told to stop resisting and was told to walk to the police car. Shocked and dazed I layed still, on the ground, and they said they would help me. I was grabbed by the arms and dragged. My shoes and the knees of my pants were evident of the dragging. Once I got to the patrol car I was on my knees still dazed. They insisted I get up and still dazed they helped by grabbing my waist..one officer grabbed my employee ID badge and did a triple take when it read University of Rochester employee. I told him he had a legitimate girl and not a criminal; he reported his finding to his colleague, who grabbed my U of R badge the Officer did a similar triple take to see I was a employee of a major employer. Nevertheless, one officer grabbed me by the hair from one side of the police car while the other pulled me up and threw me in and slammed the door on my legs. The main officer who did the arrest and who was particularly abusive was Martin Verbakel. On the ride to the police station I reminded this officer that I had scars on me from this assualt and his remark was I already had some scars so this did not make much difference. I also tried to make him understand I was a chronic pain sufferer, but to no avail.

I managed to sit up and see what was going on with James as he was a witness to all of this. I could see them talking to him, looking as if they wanted to try and jump on him. Eventually James left and I was very afraid. Two of the officers came to the back of the police car, feeling and searching me, saying they were looking for the keys to the vehicle. I did not have them. They roughed me up several times looking for keys. I sat with the young white officer and watched as the tow truck driver attempted to put my vehicle on the flatbed tow. I was driven to the Gates police station and this young officer had the audacity to tell me how I act will determine how soon I can be released. We waited for at least ten minutes before going into the station. I guess he was waiting for another officer (one male and one female) to arrive before he started perpetrating like I was being difficult or otherwise not complying. This may have also given them time to search my Landrover to find in CLEAN. One held me tightly while the other two walked directly behind me as if waiting for me to make a wrong move....I never did. I was shoved into the chair and eventually put into a cell. I was taunted as if I was a five-year-old....about how much I need to cooperate. Officer Verbakel was searching HARD for me being an individual on probation or parole; he was highly disappointed to find NO REAL criminal history on me. He did inquire about the current case on the books related to this nonsense I was dealing with concernin him. At one point, I was told they still had that suicide note just in case things didn't go right. I was fingerprinted and photographed, but never read any rights.

Upon release, James was waiting outside the police station for me. He took me straight to Strong Memorial Hospital. I was in emergency from 11:30 pm to 7:30 am. I am a Chronic Pain sufferer from a car accident four years ago. I have a metal plate in my cervical spine area and take heavy duty meds for pain everyday and get cortisone shots. I was seen immediately as I told the staff I was violently assaulted. My chin was scarred, the left side of my face was swollen, my wrists had bruises and red marks from the handcuffs being too tight. I was treated with Morphine, Dilaudid, and other meds to control the pain. They took x-rays and scans. I took pictures after I was released from Strong emergency. I have been out of work since Santurday March 28th. What I believed saved me from more bruises/injury was the heavy sweater and jacket I was wearing which blocked some of the blows and the violent yank from my car.

I found out that Gates Automotive has a contract with Gates police to tow cars. Gates Automotive is a MAJOR AAA sponsor but they refused to use my card as payment for the tow. I incurred $20 per day for storage. I wanted to pick up my vehicle the next day which was Saturday, but they were closed---ONLY open for towing. On Monday, March 31, I went to pay the fee/storage only to have to leave the vehicle another day because the tow driver did not document that he supposedly unhooked OR removed a bolt or something related to the gears since he did not have the key. The VP of Gates Automotive was extremely condescending and by the next day, never offereed any apology or reimbursement. AAA is supposed to reimburse me for the cost incurred with the tow and possible the storage fees.

I cannot express the anger and embarrasment I feel from such a violent unprovoked experience. As a 45-year-old grown women, my teenage children have been greatly affected by this too. My vehicle was searched as if they were looking for drugs or weapons. It turned out my registration was suspended due to a four-day lapse in insurance back in January. I paid the 32-dollar fine and obtained new plates. At the minimum, the officer could have given a me warning, ticket, and IF he need to take the ptates, let me tow my vehicle home. I was never given any opportunity to negiotiate any reasonable solution to his respoonsible decisions. This violent take down and arrest was NOT worth the physical damage it has caused. I am suffering from new symptoms of pain in the lower back. The existing pain is intense once again, undoing the progress I had been making. It is my hope to shed as much like on this violent abuse of power by those who are getting paid to protect and serve.

Currently I am working on some legal representation. If you know of a good attorney---preferably one OUTSIDE of Monroe County---I would appreciate it. I would like as much publicity about this injustice as possible. This story is just the tip of the iceberg concerning how the "tight-knit" Rochester community short-circuits the system to lock people up and shut folks down.

Please contact me if you have any further questions. 436-7911 home /503-6398 cell.

Sincerely,

Terasa Harris