Khadija Bezzaz sued police, a traffic stop near George Floyd protest
A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against cops who shattered her car window during a George Floyd rally.
Last summer, a Florida woman filed a lawsuit against the police officers who smashed her car window during a traffic stop at a George Floyd rally.
Khadija Bezzaz, 22, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against two Orange County deputies who reportedly violated her civil rights by detaining her and using unnecessary force during their encounter in Orlando, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
According to the complaint, deputies Christopher Moore and Michael Fuller "had no lawful right to detain, handcuff (seize), or arrest [Bezzaz]."
Moore approached Bezzaz's vehicle, which was stopped in the right lane near a protest days after Floyd died, according to body camera video. Moore threatened to arrest her if she did not get out of her car right away, according to the video.
Moore begins to reach inside the vehicle, while Bezzaz begins to roll up the window. Moore strikes the windshield with his baton as it rises, cracking it, and pulling her from the car before handcuffing her.
The encounter and arrest happen in a matter of seconds.
The Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office dropped the lawsuit after Moore threatened to prosecute Bezzaz with assault on a law enforcement officer and misdemeanor resisting an officer without aggression.
Bezzaz "suffered cuts to her face and body as a result of Moore cracking [her] car window in her face," according to the complaint, which caused her to "bleed profusely."
According to the lawsuit, she has "suffered and will continue to suffer in the future, physical inconvenience, physical scarring, medical costs, emotional loss, reputational damage, and expenses incurred as a result of unlawful detention."
According to the complaint, Fuller stood by and did nothing to deter Moore.
A bystander's cellphone video appears to back up Bezzaz's claims.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office has not specified whether it would offer legal counsel to the deputies.