After release of body-camera video, Charlotte police defend officer's punches during arrest

Witness cellphone video released prior to Tuesday shows an officer repeatedly punching a woman as officers held her on the ground on Nov. 13 on South Tryon Street near Whitehall Estates Drive. The video was shared widely on social media.

The body camera videos released Tuesday show officers walking up to Pierre and Lee as they're sitting on a bench outside a Bojangles. The officers ask if they were smoking weed and try to detain them. Both people ask several times why they're being detained as one officer pulls Pierre back into the grass behind the bench.

The officer involved is suspended, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

A different cell phone video from a witness in his car at the drive-thru shows Pierre taking a swing at the officer’s head as he’s pulling her back. He punches back then yells, “Stop resisting! Put your hands behind your back.”

Body camera video shows the officer kicking Pierre’s leg with his knee and then punching her in the back of the leg.

Officers also found a concealed, loaded 9-millimeter handgun in Lee’s bag.

Lee, 37, is charged with carrying a concealed firearm, resisting arrest and simple possession of marijuana.

Pierre, 24, is charged with assault on a government official, resisting arrest and simple possession of marijuana.

However, the district attorney has dismissed the charges against Lee and Pierre.

“I was disappointed to learn that all charges were dropped against Ms. Pierre and Mr. Lee, specifically the firearms charges and the assault on a government official charges,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings wrote in a statement. “However, I have a great deal of respect for our District Attorney and know he has a difficult decision to make when it comes to the prosecution of these cases.”

On Tuesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police responded to the release of the videos.

“The female subject continued to resist arrest and after several repeated verbal commands, one of the backup officers administered compliance strikes to the subject’s right thigh in an effort to gain control and place her in custody,” the department’s release states. “The officer who administered the strikes was intentional about where the strikes were made.”

In November, Jennings called for the release of the bodycam videos.

“I had the opportunity to view this video, and it is not easy to watch,” Jennings wrote. “I never want to see an officer, much less one of my own, involved in a situation like this.

“Our officers are trained to engage and interact with people and manage situations to the best of their abilities based on the training they receive. When individuals physically assault officers and refuse to comply with police and when they resist arrest, officers must physically engage with them to safely take them into custody.”

The department has defended the officers' actions as being in line with use of force laws.

“Our officers are often placed in difficult situations that require actions that can be difficult to watch. CMPD works tirelessly to keep this community safe,” Jennings wrote. “I watched the body-worn camera footage and believe that it tells more of the story than what is circulating on social media.”