The mayor of a small town in southern Alabama issued a public apology to a woman who was arrested at her home after she refused to show police her identification and said that the cop who took her into custody faced discipline.
In a video on the city of Andalusia website, Mayor Earl Johnson apologized to Twyla Stallworth and announced that all charges she faced after her arrest were dropped.
Last month, Stallworth tried calling 911 to make a noise complaint against her neighbor, who was blasting loud music, according to a media release sent by Stallworth’s attorneys on March 8. The legal team said the police didn’t respond, but when she set off her car alarm to get the neighbor’s attention, that neighbor called the police on her.
Officer Grant Barton arrived at her home. Cellphone video taken by Stallworth’s son shows Barton asking Stallworth for her ID. When she refuses, he threatens to place her under arrest. The video showed Barton pushing Stallworth’s son, storming into her home, shoving her onto her couch, and forcefully cuffing her.
Alabama Code 15-5-30 states that police may stop any person in a public place if police have reasonable suspicion that that person is committing, has committed, or is about to commit a crime and may demand that person’s name, address, and an explanation of his or her actions. The statute says nothing about showing official identification.
Stallworth also showed no signs of aggression toward the officer and never appeared to be committing a crime. She only challenged his response to the situation.
“My power was taken from me. I wasn’t able to fight back,” Stallworth told NBC News. “I wasn’t able to protect my son. I felt powerless. Nobody should be treated this way.”
According to her attorneys, Stallworth was jailed for up to 15 hours and charged with obstruction, resisting arrest, and attempting to elude.
In his recorded apology, Mayor Johnson partly disputed the…
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