The grandmother of a man with a warrant was reportedly tazed three times with a stun gun when she tried to prevent law enforcement from entering her residence.
On the morning of December 24, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home listed as the current address of a man who was reportedly in violation of the terms of his probation.
When they knocked on the door, the woman who answered was identified as the suspect’s grandmother, Barbara Pinkney, who was celebrating her 70th birthday.
Pinkney reported that when she greeted the deputies they informed her that they were searching for her grandson, Tevin Turner, for the suspicion that he was carrying a weapon when he was prohibited from doing so by law.
Her granddaughter-in-law began to record the interaction with her cell phone as Pinkney tried to explain to the deputies that her grandson was not at her residence, but they told her that they would need to come inside to see for themselves.
Pinkney asked the deputies if they had a warrant but they informed her that they did not require one in this case and that she would be held legally accountable for obstructing justice if she did not permit them entry.
The woman reportedly attempted to close the door instead, and when a deputy tried to detain her, Pinkney allegedly resisted. The deputy was seen in the cellphone video as he grabbed for his stun gun in a purported attempt to subdue Pinkney, who was visibly upset by the incident.
When she was asked about the situation leading up to the deputy using his tazer Pinkney stated, “I was scared. I didn’t know what else to do. I was just hollering,”
The deputy discharged the tazer a total of three times, and Pinkney was shocked on her arm and her back leaving burn marks upon her flesh. While the woman was on the ground the deputy held her in place using his knee.
Pinkney was taken into custody and she is expected to face charges for felony battery on a law enforcement officer, and obstructing justice. Her bond was set at $1000.
In an interview with the news, Pinkney said that she has had trouble sleeping well since the event and that she has been very fearful. She has never had any kind of interaction with law enforcement in the past, and she said, “Whenever I see police I just try to not look at them.”
The community has given their support to Pinkney regarding the situation, and the Answer Suncoast activist group arranged a march on New Year’s Eve in honor of her defense.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.