‘She was legally brutalized.’ Community rallies around Bradenton woman tasered by deputy

Community members rallied around a 70-year-old Bradenton woman who was forced to the ground, tasered and arrested in her own home last week during an altercation with law enforcement officers.

Some came to the rally Tuesday evening in support of a neighbor and friend. Others were members of political action groups calling for an end to police violence.

All of them took issue with the way that Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to execute an arrest warrant at Barbara Pinkney’s house on Dec. 26. The warrant was for Pinkney’s grandson, wanted on a charge of violating probation.

Next door neighbor Michael McNeal said that he witnessed multiple sheriff’s cars line the street around 7 a.m. that morning. He said deputies then approached Pinkney’s house and kicked the door instead of knocking.

Pinkney refused to let deputies enter the home without a search warrant and tried to close the door on them, according to an affidavit written by arresting deputy Jason Riley. Riley then forced his way inside and attempted to arrest Pinkney for obstruction when a scuffle occurred.

Deputies did not find Pinkney’s grandson at the residence.

“What they did was wrong,” McNeal said. “That wasn’t serving a warrant.”

McNeal claims he could see Pinkney getting kicked and a K-9 dog on top of her from his vantage point on his driveway.

I feel sad about it,” Pinkney said of the incident. “They could have handled it better than what they did.”

Pinkney pointed out bruises and scratches she said that she got while held against the floor, as well as a mark left by the Taser.

On New Year’s Eve, demonstrators gathered in Pinkney’s yard for a rally followed by a march around the neighborhood.

Ruth Beltran, a member of political activism organization ANSWER Coalition Suncoast, led the group in chants like “Same story every time — being black is not a crime.”

“She was legally brutalized,” Beltran said. “We as a community need to come together and say this is not acceptable.”

She also called for an independent investigation of the incident.

“Right now we have the police doing what? Investigating themselves,” Beltran said.

Pinkney, making use of a walker, was in the center of the group as it made its way through the neighborhood calling for justice.

“It does feel good,” Pinkney said of the community’s support.

After the march, Beltran, McNeal and other organizers spoke over megaphone in front of Pickney’s home.

“The fight is not over, because you know that she is facing criminal charges now,” Beltran said.

Pinkney said she will plead not guilty to charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and obstructing justice.

Deedra Zee with Black Lives Matter Alliance Sarasota Manatee Chapter, criticized legislation that allows police to forcefully enter homes.

“It actually protects this behavior,” Zee said. “Just because it’s the law doesn’t mean that it’s just.”

Jeanetta Taylor, another neighbor, credited Pinkney’s granddaughter-in-law with having the forethought to record the incident.

“Otherwise it wouldn’t have been believed,” said Taylor.

Taylor said the incident has given the sheriff’s office a “bad name” in the neighborhood.

“I don’t think there’s anything they can do to repair the trust,” Taylor said. “I’m afraid to call them now.”

The use of force against Pinkney wasn’t the only thing that left a bad impression with neighbors and family members.

They said that Pinkney asked for an ambulance multiple times, but she was instead placed in an unmarked law enforcement vehicle and driven away.

Gloria Marquez, who lives across the street, filmed the arrest from outside of Pinkney’s house while yelling obscenities at deputies.

Marquez’s dog later got out and was tased by one of the deputies.

“I thought that he had killed my dog,” Marquez said.

Marquez said that animal services visited her house the next day and asked for proof of a rabies shot for the dog.

ANSWER Suncoast may hold another rally in support of Pinkney if needed, Beltran said. She also encouraged community members to attend Pinkney’s court date in silent solidarity.

The incident and a cell phone video that shows part of the arrest inside the home have drawn nationwide attention.

The sheriff’s office confirmed Monday that Sheriff Rick Wells has called for an internal affairs investigation to determine if Riley followed the law and proper protocol.

Riley has been involved in a similar incident previously.

In that instance, a 75-year-old Bradenton grandfather was found not guilty of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence.

This story was originally published January 1, 2020 at 6:54 AM.