Video of Arkansas trooper punching 18-year-old draws calls for investigation
Alisa Hackett, 18, was pulled over for speeding and alcohol possession when she was tackled to the ground and punched.
A dashcam video showing an Arkansas police officer tackling and punching an 18-year-old Black woman during a traffic stop has sparked outrage and calls for an investigation. Alisa Hackett, from Osceola, was stopped on State Highway 18 near Manila after speeding and having her hazard lights on. She claimed her car window had shattered, and during the stop, she was cited for not wearing a seatbelt, covering her license plate, and having a sealed bottle of Tito's liquor in the car.
The officer, Moisses Arellano, called another trooper who acknowledged Hackett had been pulled over for speeding earlier and had an open alcohol container, but was only warned. Arellano then arrested Hackett, who is 5-foot-1 and weighs 118 pounds. After multiple commands for Hackett to comply, Arellano struck her on the face with a closed fist, despite her repeated attempts to put her hands behind her back.
Hackett can be heard yelling for help and her mother as she was placed in the back of the patrol car. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump called for an investigation by the Office of Professional Standards and expressed disbelief that an officer would resort to such force against a teenager. Hackett's lawyer filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging excessive force, but Hackett subsequently switched attorneys. The Arkansas Department of Public Safety declined to comment on pending litigation.
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