Woman says she was assaulted by BART officers on train
Nubia Bowe says a train ride home on the BART March 21 was the worse night of her life.
The night ended with her being accused by police of intimidating a witness and her friends being handcuffed for dancing on the Los Angeles train system.
The teen now faces four misdemeanors and was kicked out of training program.
…BART police responded to a complaint that young men were dancing and soliciting money on a train at the Lake Merritt station. Bowe and her friends, who had not seen anyone dancing on the train, were picked out as the culprits by one witness, who later recanted.
However, her friends were handcuffed and detained, even though a train full of witnesses repeatedly told police the young people were not the perpetrators. […]
When she reached the county jail at Santa Rita, she says officers beat her for allegedly attacking one of the guards, and she was put in restraints, similar to a straight jacket. She was placed in a wrap which had handcuffs attached and a belt connecting her upper body to her ankles.
A BART spokesperson forwarded a log of the incident to the Oakland Post. It stated, “A BART sergeant and officer were flagged down on a complaint of patrons on a train dancing, playing music and creating disturbance. They did not cooperate and became combative. One suspect bit one officer causing a moderate laceration on his left arm. Two suspects were cited and released, one was booked into the Alameda County Jail.”
Bowe was a full-time student at a local security training program at the time. As she repeatedly explained that her friends were innocent to the officers, she stated that they were violating the young men’s rights.
By this time, passengers on the train were loudly shouting that the people were innocent. Bowe was removed from the train. In response to the charges, Bowe’s supporters have started a group against police brutality called the One Shot Away Coalition, which states that people of color are one shot away from incarceration and/or death. Bowe goes to trial on Aug. 5.
Thoughts on this case? Should Bowe sue the department and the city?
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