In a troubling incident, Lieutenant Victor Dawson, a member of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, is suing two police officers in Virginia for holding him at gunpoint, using pepper spray on him, and infringing upon his constitutional rights. Dawson, who is both Black and Latino, was in full military uniform during this encounter, which occurred in December.
As per the lawsuit filed recently, Dawson was driving home to Petersburg after a drill weekend when he was stopped by the police for what they described as a “felony traffic stop.” After pulling over at a well-lit gas station in Windsor, Virginia, the officers immediately began shouting commands at him. “Get out of the car!” one officer yelled, while video footage shows a gun pointed at Dawson. “I’m honestly afraid to get out of the car,” he replied. “Yeah,” said Officer Mark Johnson, one of the officers. “You should be.”
Video captured from Dawson’s dashboard camera shows him expressing disbelief: “I’m serving this country, and this is how I’m treated?” Subsequently, Officer Johnson approached Dawson and sprayed him with pepper spray. When Dawson exited his vehicle, Johnson struck him behind the knees and warned, “Lay down or I’m going to tase you.” As the officers handcuffed him, Dawson could be heard saying, “This is ridiculous, this is ridiculous.”
The officers allegedly threatened Dawson with charges of obstruction and assault on law enforcement if he chose to file a complaint, which could jeopardize his military career. Dawson has since retained legal representation.
According to reports, the officers stated that they stopped Dawson because his SUV lacked license plates. He had recently purchased the vehicle and had temporary plates visibly taped in the rear window. The officers claimed Dawson “willfully disregarded” their signals to pull over and had tinted windows, leading them to treat the situation as a felony stop.
On April 2, Dawson filed a lawsuit against Officers Johnson and Alan Reed for violating his Fourth Amendment rights, seeking damages of at least $1 million. “He’s a sworn member of the United States Army,” said his attorney, Linda Carter. “The way these officers acted undermines the oath he took to uphold the Constitution.”
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In summary, the incident involving Lieutenant Dawson raises serious concerns about the treatment of military personnel by law enforcement, particularly regarding issues of racial profiling and excessive force. Dawson’s legal action highlights the ongoing challenges faced by individuals in similar situations.
Keyphrase: Police misconduct and racial profiling
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