By Michael V. Hannigan
Jessica Rodgers appeared before the City Council Monday night, her face still showing the bruises and cuts from the injuries she sustained while being arrested by Athens police officers Oct. 6.
Rodgers was stopped by police for traffic violations and was later arrested for outstanding traffic warrants. Rodgers did not obey police during the arrest while she tried to call her mother to come and get her three young children (7, 4 and 1) who were in the car.
Read the story about Rodgers arrest, including the video from the police car, here.
While admitting to her own mistakes during that night, the 25-year-old Athens woman told council members and staff that she believed that officers could have handled the situation differently.
“I felt like I was not heard,” she said. “My children weren’t taken into account and I felt threatened.”
Because she addressed the council during the public comments section of the meeting, the council could not legally discuss the issue with her. (Explanation why here)
Rodgers was backed by a large group of supporters, including Jeffery Enoch, who also spoke to the council.
“The officers involved used way too much force,” he said flatly.
Also speaking was Allen Chapel AME Church Pastor the Rev. Myria Whitcomb, who appeared with her husband and co-pastor, Geoff, standing beside her.
Rev. Whitcomb said she was disturbed “that a woman would be handled with such force and in front of her kids.”
She said she thought the situation may be more of a gender issue than a race issue. Rodgers is black and all of the police officers on the scene that night were white. She said police “professionally should be able to diffuse a situation without resorting to force.”
She asked that an apology be issued to Rodgers for her treatment and suggested that sensitivity training might be in order.
Rev. Whitcomb also pointed to some of the tragic situations in the country such as in Ferguson, Missouri where civil unrest and violence was triggered when an unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by a white police officer in August.
“We don’t want to see Athens on that list, agreed?” she said.
The officers do not owe her an apology. Personally I think they went out of their way for her. She was told numberous times to get out of the vehicle and she would not comply. When you have an expired registration, expired driver lic.. and several warrants what did she expect? In fact I thought they went out of their way to (1) console the kiddos and (2) they didn’t have to let the family have the car, they could have had it towed, which would have cost the family extra money. What did she expect??
That’s bull watch to the video to the officer never said anything to kids The to third officer was the first after they body slammed her.besides in Athens if she did get out and not show her care and love for her kids CPS we could try to file some kind of neglect I stand on her side u would have to kill me I wouldn’t wanna leave till I new my babies were safe beside the arresting officer never even talked to the kids he should have child neglect on. Him
This is so ridiculous. I watched the video of the arrest and I feel that Ms Rodgers should have complied with the police officer. She has no problem breaking the law but obeying the law is much harder for her. Ms Rodgers as a mother should have considered her children before she chose not to comply with our Athens Police officer, who asked many times for her to step out of the vehicle.
I believe that has Ms Rodgers followed the officers request that all of this upset could have been avoided. I also believe that allowing Rev. Whitcomb to cloud this issue of non compliance by Ms Rodgers who has obviously broken the law, with RACE Issues is not only disturbing but ridiculous coming from a Christian.
Race is not an issue at all. The fact that she broke the law many times and would not comply was the issue. She did not have those children in mind when she broke the law and had warrents.
She should have complied with what the officers said. She is obviously a law breaker and will use the race card to try to get out of trouble. Also the Pastor seems to be threatening to cause trouble with the statment of what is happening in Ferguson.
I agree. I watched the video and Ms. Rodgers was given numerous opportunities to comply. Even after she was out of the vehicle, she was resisting arrest. No force would have been used if she had complied. As for her children, she was the one who chose to taunt the officers into the actions that took place. It seems that she may be the one who was not taking her children’s welfare into account.
That’s bull watch to the video to the officer never said anything to kids The to third officer was the first after they body slammed her.besides in Athens if she did get out and not show her care and love for her kids CPS we could try to file some kind of neglect I stand on her side u would have to kill me I wouldn’t wanna leave till I new my babies were safe beside the arresting officer never even talked to the kids he should have child neglect on. Him