((Editor’s Note: Police officials have beeped out the video where officers verbalize personal information such as driver’s license numbers and phone numbers. The video also contains graphic language.))
UPDATED 3:30 p.m. Oct. 13: Edited to reflect that in the video, Hutchison also says he pulled Rodgers over for an expired registration.
By Michael V. Hannigan
An Athens woman is saying the police department used excessive force during her arrest on traffic warrants Monday, Oct. 6, leaving her with facial bruises, scrapes on her right shoulder, a black eye and cuts above her eye according to her personal injury attorney.
Athens police officials say the woman would not have gotten hurt if she had complied with the officer’s directions. Get Injury Answers in San Diego regarding such cases where the officials claimed to have given themselves the authority to hurt people.
Jessica Rodgers, 25, said she had just finished work and picked up her three children (ages 7, 4, 1) from her mother’s house when she was pulled over by Athens Patrolman Jonathan Hutchison for making a turn without using her signal and an expired registration. She was within sight of her home when she stopped.
Rodgers told HCN she does not believe she made an illegal turn, saying she watched the officer follow her for a few blocks and so she was driving very carefully. According to a Houston DUI Lawyer ” Jessica was not under the influence of a substance which as claimed by the police officer who later retracted the claim.”
Athens Police Chief Buddy Hill said the traffic stop started out normally at about 9:30 p.m., with Hutchison telling Rodgers why he pulled her over. As the process continued, he also told Rodgers her car registration was out of date, her driver’s license was out of date, and her driver’s license had the wrong address. Hutchison then went back to his police cruiser to check Rodgers out on the computer. Fighting your ticket is the only way you might get it dismissed. By paying your ticket, you are admitting guilt and essentially guaranteeing that points will be assessed against you and your driver license. In most traffic ticket cases, Florida Ticket Firm can help you avoid points, driving school and court. Why hassle with your traffic ticket when you can hire Florida Ticket Firm to handle it for you? Florida Ticket Firm can help.For more details info visit our Homepage.
After that, things became heated.
When Hutchison returned to Rodgers’ vehicle he told her she had outstanding warrants and ordered her to step out of her vehicle to be arrested. The three warrants were for traffic violations. If you are charged with the possession and/or sale of illegal drugs, the first step you must take is to find an experienced and reliable criminal defense attorney, click to read more about best attorney for drug crime here.
Rodgers said afterward that she did not know about the outstanding warrants, but told HCN that once she learned she was going to be arrested her only thought was for her children.
“I knew what would come next (being arrested) therefore my next objective was to contact someone to come get my children,” she wrote on the HCN Facebook page.
She got on her phone and tried to call her mother. Meanwhile, Hutchison was still ordering her to get out of her car, saying if she didn’t get out of the car he was going to open the door and get her out.
“I was like whoa, you’re going to snatch me out?” said Rodgers. So she said she rolled up the car window in order to keep trying to call her mom.
Hill explained that once a police officer has determined that a person is to be arrested, they are trained to effect that arrest as quickly as possible. Further discussion doesn’t occur until that person is in custody.
So Hutchison again ordered Rodgers to step out of the car and threatened to break the vehicle window when Rodgers continued to refuse. A second police officer had arrived on the scene by this time, and a third officer arrived a short time later (Corporal Roger Keith and Sergeant Jason Bosher).
Rodgers said in that moment “there was a lot going on.” Her phone wouldn’t dial through, the kids in the back seat were talking to her, and the officer was threatening to break the window. Rodgers said when she saw the second police officer she got out of the car, but she continued trying to get her mother on the phone.
“At that point I was really scared,” she said.
Once she was out of the car, the officers tried to put Rodgers under arrest by cuffing her hands behind her back. Hill said that Rodgers continued to be uncooperative and resist the officers. He said during the struggle to make the arrest, the officers and Rodgers fell to the ground with Rodgers on the bottom.
That’s when she received her injuries.
Hill said officers took Rodgers directly to the hospital for treatment and waited until her mother arrived to take custody of the children.
Rodgers told HCN, “I should have gotten out of the car (when ordered),” but said she was frightened and trying to take care of her children.
“I don’t want to say it was ‘just’ traffic violations, because I don’t want APD to think I am taking the warrants lightly. I should have taken care of my business,” she said, but also added she is not a violent criminal and didn’t deserve to be treated like one in front of her children.
“It just could have gone differently,” she said, “but he (the officer) just had to do it his way.”
Rodgers said her actions were also influenced by events around the country this summer, such as when an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri was killed by a white police officer and when a black man was shot and killed by police in an Ohio Walmart for carrying an air rifle sold by the store.
“I got out of the car as soon as I saw a second police officer,” she said.
Hill agreed that the incident didn’t have to end up with Rodgers hurt, saying all she had to do was comply with the officer’s orders.
He said Hutchison would have taken her to the back of the vehicle and talked to her about the warrants, and if she didn’t have the money to pay the fines would have arrested her quietly and out of sight of the children. Hill said Hutchison would have then asked if there was a family member they could contact in order to get the children.
But all that changed when Rodgers stopped being cooperative, Hill said. Hutchison moved to the next level of force, as he is trained, and became more direct in his verbal commands as he worked to get Rodgers into custody.
Hill pointed out that she continued to struggle when officers were trying to handcuff her and it was that struggle that sent Rodgers and the officers to the ground.
Even with her resisting,the police went too far. She was a woman..not a big 250 lb man. A woman officer should have been called to the scene. Henderson county is well known for its racism so I feel she had every right to be afraid! How would they feel had it been their mother or daughter? Right is right and wrong is wrong badge or not. The first officer was just wrong!!!
LaSheka, you are stupid, I am an African American woman, and proud of it. I hate this, people look down on us, in times like this. Black, White, Hispanic, it don’t matter, we are subject to consequences when we break the law. The only person who hurt her children here, was she herself, and if you don’t understand that, you need counseling.
IVE WATCHED THAT VIDEO AT LEAST 3 TIMES… I CAN SENSE THE FEAR IN JESSICA’S VOICE… IT IS A SHAME THAT AS AFRICAN AMERICANS WE ARE LITERALLY TERRIFIED OF THE POLICE… I GREW UP IN ATHENS TEXAS… AND AS A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN I KNOW FIRST HAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE AFRAID TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET ON A FRIDAY NIGHT… I LIVED OTHER PLACES AND I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT POLICE HARASSMENT OR EVEN BEING STOPPED… BUT IN ATHENS… ITS A REAL FEAR… I WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO WATCH THE VIDEO… WATCH IT CAREFULLY… NOW IMAGINE IF JESSICA WAS WHITE… WOULD ALL OF THOSE EVENTS HAD OCCURED IN THAT SEQUENCE??? TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST… I DONT THINK SO…
@Shauntavia, you could hear the fear? All I heard was a bunch of foul language she shouldn’t have been using in front of her kids. Imagine if she had just complied with the officer’s orders. Her kids wouldn’t have witnessed her cussing and fighting and acting crazy.
Shauntavia, you are stupid, I am an African American woman, and proud of it. I hate this, people look down on us, in times like this. Black, White, Hispanic, it don’t matter, we are subject to consequences when we break the law. The only person who hurt her children here, was she herself, and if you don’t understand that, you need counseling.
Same form comment to anyone eho speaks the truth? Can anyone say shill?
I watched the video closely and all that woman had to do was comply first time with the officer..she was the one who placed her children in the bad situation and the language she was using in front of her children she should be ashamed…AND NO THESE OFFICERS DID NOT USE ANY FORCE THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY FOR THIS STOP..I COMMEND THESE OFFICERS FOR DOING THEIR JOB TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THAT COMMUNITY..And as far as the ladys injurys she caused them to herself by trying to be an idiot and fighting the officers..and by the way lady you didn’t fear anything regarding the Ferguson, Missouri and Ohio shootings you just plan down didn’t want to go to jail so quite using this bull raciest crap as an excuse…
That’s pure crazy what you are saying it didn’t have to go that far and whoever said her kids would be like that u need to slap yo self u couldn’t have to much book or common sense
Amen!
I am a white woman living in Athens Tx and I have seen racism from this police department first hand towards my black husband and several of my black neighbors. If you don’t live here you won’t know what it really is like. The officers in this town do nothing when it is needed and too much when it is not. Racism does exist in this town
It’s not just a race issue it’s a police issue. The Athens Police did the same thing to my 17 year old son who is a ginger this week. They broke his nose on both sides and he only weighs 125 pounds. In a hospital without any parent present. Then instead of getting his injuries treated they threw him in jail and left him lying in his own blood. They refused to tell me his injuries, i had to bail him out to find out if he needed medical care. I took him to the doctor and they told me to take him straight to the ER his injuries were so bad. He had to have CT scan for possible head injury. But they are not done with him. After all that they want to charge HIM with assault. If anyone knows Jessica please have her contact me. I am a licensed therapist with a masters degree and I can fight this. It’s time they answer for their thuggery.
Six months ago a woman in another East Texas town was arrested because she was afraid to stop and talk to an officer in a secluded area with no one around. Here is another example of an abuse of power in yet another East Texas town. I believe this woman was truly afraid and trying to protect her children from this traumatic situation. There was no need for this woman to be injured. People can easily criticize her, but you aren’t really sure of how you would react in this situation until you are actually experiencing it. The comment from the police officer about her acting like she was trying to hide something is amusing. She is freaked out and is in disbelief as to what is happening to her. Her wrongs don’t warrant the excessive force that was exerted upon her.
I don’t think this is a racial discrimination incident, but I do think that it is an example of officer misconduct. I also believe that there should be an awareness of the fact that sometimes women are in what they feel is a frightening, vulnerable situation with an officer and it affects how they react to the situation. When a woman is afraid, an officer may misinterpret her fear as being obstinate. I think that was a factor in the occurrence with Jessica and with the woman that was arrested while walking in her neighborhood last April in Whitehouse. Citizens need protection from officers abusing their power and I would like officers to attend some type of women sensitivity training to help them better understand issues women face. We are always taught to protect ourselves when we believe we are in a dangerous situation and that could mean protecting ourselves against a police officer if we feel our safety is threatened. Police officers are just humans and it doesn’t mean that they can’t be dangerous just because they have a badge.
I completely agree, the victims here were her children, because she acted a fool, when she didn’t need to. This is one of those times, even as an African American woman, I wish there was an application to be a parent!
I ALSO WANTED TO STATE THAT IT IS NOT OK TO NOT ABIDE BY THE LAW… AND YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS IN ORDER TO HAVE THE PRIVILIGE TO DRIVE… I TRULY BELIEVE THAT SMACK TO THE GROUND WITH 2 HEALTHY MEN ON TOP… WAS NOT CALLED FOR…
It IS, if you don’t cooperate. What would happen if criminals got to dictate what happens in an arrest? Do you want them on your doorstep? Where your children are present? I don’t believe you would be okay with that.
This is not excessive force. These officers actually treated her with more respect than most. Once you’ve been found to have warrants, two new violations, and her refusal to simply comply. The only took her down because she resisted arrest. These guys appear to probably have allowed her to use the phone to call someone if she complied. My people need to understand the law. You cannot win on the street with police. Just comply and let the courts handle this. We cannot cry wolf when we don’t have clean hands.
This is so sad if they were going to agree with her to find a ride for her children they wudve said from the begining.they tryna cover up for theyself she had plenty of time to drive off it seems to me like that was the last thing on her mind this is ridiculous
Shyra, besides the fact that you need to go back to elementary school to learn words and grammar, I’m appalled. I am an African American woman, and proud of it. I hate this, people look down on us, in times like this. Black, White, Hispanic, it don’t matter, we are subject to consequences when we break the law. The only person who hurt her children here, was she herself, and if you don’t understand that, you need counseling.
Shut up Katrina. You are just mean. This is the third person I have seen you demean on this board.
This was not a excessive use of force all she had to do is comply with the officers orders. But really rolling under windows and locking the doors how childless is that.
The police officers didn’t use any excessive force. She wouldnt have gotten hurt if she did what she should have done and gotten out of the car. Too bad so sad. First of all: dont get traffic violations. Second: If you do, PAY them! Third: if you dont obey the law, expect the consequences. She probably just traumatized her children. SHE did that. What a shame. And theyll probably grow up to be just like mama.
How can the lady Amanda say they gone grow up and be just like mama…really what does that comment mean????Yes thing should have been different but look at the news cops killing innocent people……
All she had to do was to get out of the car. She heated up the incident by being defiant toward the officer. How are you going to roll up the window on an officer and he was really nice! My People !!
Nothing wrong here that wasnt expected. She should have surrendered as told and all problems would have been eliminated. Everyone quit trying to turn this into a racial or profiling case. Take care of your legal matters and comply.
The reason that car was stopped was because the police thought he had somebody else. She could have driven the car without any mistakes and ‘that’ car was going to get stopped. If she were driving another vehicle she would have never drawn the attention of the police. So profiling is in the story; excessive force is not she should have gotten out of the car.
“The reason that car was stopped was because the police thought he had somebody else.”
No it was stopped for two different violations. That’s a legal stop. She was then legally ordered to identify herself because she is driving and then it turns out she had warrants for her arrest. So now she is legally getting arrested. YAY! Law is hard.
Those poor babies!!! This is ridiculous and then the officers.expect the kids to feel safe with them after watching them.treat their mom that way!!!!OMG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8
Wow! This situation could’ve went down much smoother if both sides would’ve communicated in a calm manner. Explain! The officer should’ve let her know before hand that she would get to make the call for the kids. Officers should protect… see in the child’s perspective first. All they see is their mom getting attacked. And as for the mom. Ask nicely!..if you can make the call for the kids. Not cooperating just makes things worse. Do you really think they’re going to back off and leave?
The police were right in the way this was handled. All she had to do was cooperate. She copped an attitude as soon as the officer arrived at her door. I’ve lived in Athens many years & have never known about the so called racism those are crying about. This has nothing to do with color. Whites & Mexicans have run-ins with law officers when they don’t cooperate as well. The kid in Ferguson was attacking
the white officer. He acted in self defense & as any one would had they been in his shoes. people automatically throw in the “race” card because the kid was black, the same as this woman is trying to do. Recently a black officer shot & killed a white guy. GTFU! If you do the crime you’re gonna pay the time!
If she would of complied with the officers commands it wouldn’t had happend to her like that she had warrents and finally got caught and knew it the police where asking here over and over to get out just because she’s a woman doesn’t mean you don’t listen to the Police I would of done the same .I don’t feel sorry for her one bit the only reason everyone is makeing a big deal about this is because she is a black woman and these are white cops
Victims of a draconian system that uses violence to support indiscriminate revenue generation under the disguise of deterring crime. All the statute codes written would be rewritten to raise the bar if they were followed verbatim. The rats scramble to be the one closest to the piper even though the piper is the one leading them over the cliff.
Only the force necessary to achieve compliance was applied. This was a good stop.
The sad thing is that this was probably the first time in her life that she has felt uncompromising discipline. A kid as she was, plopped in family chaos, with Springer and Maury as baby-sitters is a bad way to be raised. And with this incident, we see how the mistreatment she got before, she gives now to a new generation.
He should have pulled the car over earlier in the day when he realized the registration was expired. Traffic or not! He had a quota to meet and saw that car later, and then decided to pull her over. Her actions were not justified. But it could have been avoided in front of her kids if he would have stopped her when he first saw her. He followed her and actually she didn’t make a turn without signaling! He lit her up after she made the right turn and had used her signal! Poor behavior on both parts! And until go you know what it’s like to drive while black, leave the comments about black people pulling the race card alone!!
Notice how they couldn’t care less about those babies seeing them do that to their mother. I can’t. This breaks my heart and those heartless monsters should be ashamed of themselves.
There was absolutely no excessive force used here! What made her think she was above the law and didn’t have to comply with orders from an officer? And the whole “because I’m black” thing, is ridiculous! I grew up in Athens too, and believe me, they were gentle compared to being arrested in Ft. Worth, I know from experience, and guess what? I’m white! I’ve been handle so much worse, and by a black officer too, but I didn’t pull the race card! That is just an excuse, she should have had more respect for herself and her kids than to act like a fool in front of them like that… What kind of example is she setting for them? Its just sad!
My DEAR Niece Both were wrong listen to those babies. i would have acted the same not knowing what would happen to my babies
I am so tired of the race card. White black orange hell even green if you do not comply with cops things get real. They act for thier and your saftey. I know this officer if she would have complied the officer would have been more than happy to get someone for the children after she had been detained again if a cop tells you for five minutes to get out of your vehicle or things are going to be bad guess what you are ignorant if you do not comply he completely would have taking care of those kidsthere’s not a cop in the world that’s going to allow those kids to be mistreated or neglected or left in the car on the side of the road come on black people I am not racist but comply stop playing race cards I’m white and I know that if I tell a cop I’m not getting out of my car he’s going to beat my ass and get me out of that cargrow up
PROTECT N SERVE, NOT STOP PEOPLE AND BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF THEM IT’S ALL ON THE NEWS WITH THESE CROOKED PREJUDICE LAWS AND YES ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAS BEEN STOPPED HAS BEEN BLACK SO YES IT’S A RACE CARD!!! Let their wife, mom, or daughter get stopped and see what will happen….this is sickening, these police don’t care about kids or the people let somebody get shot n killed and see how long it takes them to get to the scene…COWARDS!!!
You are stupid, I am an African American woman, and proud of it. I hate this, people look down on us, in times like this. Black, White, Hispanic, it don’t matter, we are subject to consequences when we break the law. The only person who hurt her children here, was she herself, and if you don’t understand that, you need counseling.
Those poor babies is right. A mother should not act that way in front of her children. She is teaching them that it is fine to break the law. If she care about the safety of her kids she would have complied with the officer. If she had complied there is no doubt in my mind they would have let her call and get the kids removed. Her actions caused things to escalate. The officer gave her more than enough chances to comply. His actions were extremely professional given her language, actions, and lack of compliance. She has only herself to blame!
People Please get over the RACE CARD. If she had not been swearing like a trucker and did what the police asked then she would not of had an issue. She caused her own injuries by fighting with the officer. All she had to do is say can I talk to you about my kids please. She didnt act like a lady so why should she be treated like one. Racism goes both ways..how many officers have been shot in a routine traffic stop by both black white and Hispanic. This is not a race issue stop making everything about the poor black person…Come on get some dignity. Look at Ferguson they loot every store then demand the stores open..they are their own worst enemy. Its BullSh$T!
@ Shirley if you are dissatisfied of the City of Athens then leave! You don’t have to stay! Besides racism is in every state, county and cities everywhere!
Lets play the race card every chance we get why don’t we!
Fantastic advice, add to the stereotype. That was sarcasm if you didn’t already know. I am an African American woman, and proud of it. I hate this, people look down on us, in times like this. Black, White, Hispanic, it don’t matter, we are subject to consequences when we break the law. The only person who hurt her children here, was she herself, and if you don’t understand that, you need counseling.
As a woman, I am appalled that any mother, particularly one who claims to be a christian, can use the “F word” so profusely in front of her children, drive them around with an expired license, (that she knew had been suspended) & resist arrest! We all heard her on the phone- she was NOT concerned about her children, but only herself- as is evident by this whole scenario. If you watch the entire video, you will see that all 3 officers were concerned about the children & even graciously turned them & the car over to relatives- (they could have called CPS & had the vehicle towed!)
Personally, I applaud them for remaining calm & professional- they put themselves at risk every day to protect us & heads up: if you are a criminal (3 warrants?!), you will be treated like one…
Police with a badge and gun, young lady with warrents and children. Being a mother of three myself, I think it would not have hurt him to give her a chance to secure safety for her children. If he needed one more arrest to meet his quota, then I do believe he could have waited and allowed her to make the phone call. You can be of any race to have that privilege. Yes, I do feel all the ‘manhandling’ that they used on her was totally uncalled for. Hey, but that’s Athens cops for you. Little to much authority and a little training.
It drives me crazy that people keep saying he said she didn’t use her signal. What he said (not verbatim mind you) was that she did not use her signal at the proper time(within so many feet of the turn). So yes this is a valid enough reason to pull her over. When he did he then found warrants, expired registration and a suspended license. This woman automatically argued with the police officer and the officer was still polite, when she was asked to get out of the car she refused more than once. then, when she finally did get out of the car she told him no she was not going to turn around and not to touch her, even after she was told she was going to be arrested before getting out of the vehicle. All she had to do was comply with the officer and he would have let her call someone to get the kids. Her actions are what caused the entire incident, had she been respectful and complied none of that would have ever happened. It’s not race, it was not excessive. She made it necessary. And the fall was because she was trying to fight them so the injuries were an accident not on purpose. Seriously ridiculous.
You act like an animal and you’ll get treated like an animal.
thisyoung lady is a good person, who loves and takes good care of her children. she could have had some unpaid tickets, and yes she needs to address those changes, but the officer should have called for back up from C.P.S or a female officer, or her family member to make sure that the kids where taken away and safe first, then place Ms. Roger under a rest. and maybe things would not have been handle the way it did. I have knewn Jessica most of her life and she is not a fighter! – so in short A.PD. was in the wrong! – i live on one of the worst streets in Athens, and I have seen lots of things happen with A.D.P. and some things A.D.P. is at fault and somethings is the residents. But in this case I really don’t thing that Mr. Rogers was at fault, but I was not there to witness the facts. That is just in in her charter all.
Thank you MOM/sister/friend for responding to this post, obviously you are one of the 3. LaSheka, I am an African American woman, and proud of it. I hate this, people look down on us, in times like this. Black, White, Hispanic, it don’t matter, we are subject to consequences when we break the law. The only person who hurt her children here, was she herself, and if you don’t understand that, you need counseling.
Fifth time I have seen this exact comment. The police must have made you up.
If she would have listen in the first placed everything would had been alright. People have to understand that if you know you have warrants and your drivers license is suspended don’t drive. Especially if your registration is out of date. I mean not every officer is bad especially that officer he is not a racis officer. People come you know not to use the phone when an officer is speaking to you. Listen to his orders when the lights are on behind you it means your being detain for a short period of your time. If you have nothing and you are good with all paper work he would let you go. Don’t blame the officer for doing his job blame your self for not listening, paying attention, paying your citations, so your lisence would not be suspended.
What those babies saw was their Momma acting irrational and irresponsible…seeing her cuss and refuse to comply teaches them that they dont have to have any respect for authority figures..she made a conscious decision to act out and play the victim when she was told she had warrants and would be arrested…for her to throw up the race card is so typical, i mean seriously, these cops were not going to arrest her and just leave these kids on the side of the road….how about taking some responsibility for not following the law and not taking care of your business!!!!! What makes people, regardless of color, believe that they are above the law!!!! These cops were patient and put their lives on the line everyday…tired of hearing about the rights of people who break the law, what about the rights of the officers and law abiding citizens!!!!
You should have done what the Officer asked you to do. Now you have made a fool out of yourself, and not only that look at what you did too your children, how can you call yourself a mother !!!!
Maybe next time you will do what you are suppose to do when an Officer asked you, and think of you children before you act a fool.
was hoping the tazer came out
She wasn’t violent about ANYTHING, past or present, but the police were, enough said.