MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two Memphis women who said they were racially profiled by Memphis Police officers while trying to get a movie from a Redbox have filed a lawsuit over the incident.
The lawsuit filed Oct. 24, 2023, names the City of Memphis, former Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings, and former MPD officer Alexis Brown.
ABC24 spoke with Townes about the incident in February 2023, just after the death of Tyre Nichols.
In the suit, Kadejah Townes and Patrina Finley, both Black, allege racial discrimination and profiling, and are asking for $1 million in damages.
According to the complaint, on Feb. 21, 2021, Townes and Finley went to get a movie from a Redbox outside the Walgreens in the 5900 block of Knight Arnold. While there, they said MPD officers arrived on the scene and rushed inside the store.
Shortly after, the suit says two officers came out and walked over to Townes’ car, asking the two women if they had heard any shooting or heard of someone getting shot in the area. They said no, and the suit says the two officers walked away.
As the women began to leave the parking lot, another officer, which the lawsuit identifies as Brown, and her partner – both White - pulled over Townes’ car. Townes let the window down after Brown instructed, and the complaint says Brown then told Townes she needed to see her ID because the two women were laughing.
When Townes told Brown she had already spoken with the other officer, the complaint says Brown responded, “Y’all over here laughing. I need to see your ID. As a matter of fact, get out of the car.” When Townes refused, Brown reached into the car to unlock the door and open it. The suit says Townes got out, stating her innocence, and Brown “intentionally, maliciously, and with excessive force,” grabbed Townes’ right shoulder, dislocating it. When Townes told Brown she needed medical help for her dislocated shoulder, Brown and two other officers handcuffed her, according to the suit.
The lawsuit says Brown then handcuffed Finley and put her in the back of a squad car. It says Finley was later released, but Townes remained in custody.
Townes was taken to Regional One Hospital and treated and released, then taken to Jail East “where she was denied entrance,” according to the lawsuit. The officers then took her home.
The lawsuit also claims when Finley followed the squad car with Townes, she was stopped by Brown and taken into custody and taken to Jail East.
While the incident was going on outside the Walgreens, the lawsuit claims other White individuals were allowed to get movies and laugh without being arrested.
The complaint alleges because Brown was acting as an officer at the time, then-director Rallings and the City are also responsible.
Because of what happened, Townes and Finley are “terrified of the Memphis Police Department” and suffer from PTSD, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit asks for an injunction barring such racial discrimination in the future, and $500,000 each in compensatory damages for Townes and Finley, as well as punitive damages for each.