NORFOLK, Va. — Civil rights groups in Hampton Roads said a Norfolk police officer went too far in a traffic stop.
Ebony Holmes, 24, of Emporia said the officer hit her in the face with his fist after he pulled her car over and that a video recorded by her friend during the traffic stop brings back pain and fear.
“It has messed me up, I know it has messed me up,” Holmes explained.
Holmes said a Norfolk Police officer punched her in the face during a traffic stop early in the morning on July 5th after two officers gave her different commands. She said the traumatic encounter often plays in her mind.
“It's kind of hard to sit here and talk about what I'm doing right now. It's hard to see the pictures set up and all of that,” Holmes said.
On Monday, community and civil rights advocates and Holmes's attorney held a press conference. They said they want to hold the Norfolk Police Department accountable for what happened to Holmes.
Civil rights advocate Brandon Randleman said, “In the video, you can hear Ebony scream out of pure fear for her life.”
Holmes’s attorney said her client tried to file assault and battery charges against the officer, but the magistrate denied it.
She and civil rights leaders are asking the police department to release the body camera video from several officers at the scene.
“We can watch this video and see there was something wrong with it,” Randleman said.
They also want the police officer put on administrative duty while officials investigate.
After that investigation is completed civil rights leaders want the internal investigation to head to the Commonwealth Attorney’s office.
“Ms. Ebony Holmes feared for her life because of a basic traffic stop due to a speeding traffic violation,” said Randleman.
A spokesman for Norfolk Police Department released a statement saying, the Office of Professional Standards is investigating the actions of the involved officers by departmental policies and procedures.
The statement went on to say that officers with the Norfolk Police Department arrested Holmes and charged her with reckless driving and obstruction of justice.