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National Action Network joins cause of pregnant Florida woman whose takedown arrest was caught on body camera

National Action Network joins cause of pregnant Florida woman whose takedown arrest was caught on body camera
BEACH, I’M SOOJI NAM FOR WPBF 25 NEWS. BECAUSE I DIDN’T NEED TO I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE I NEEDED TO. AND HE WAS VERY RUDE AND AGGRESSIVE AND HE WASN’T POLITE AT ALL. TONIGHT, BOCA RATON POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE ARREST OF A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO ENDED UP ON THE PAVEMENT DURING A STRUGGLE WITH THE OFFICER WHO ARRESTED HER. THE ARREST WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO. POLICE RESPONDED TO A DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE CALL FIRST TWO WEEKS AGO AT A CONGRESS AVENUE GAS STATION. THE CALLER CLAIMED A MAN WAS BEATING ON THE HOOD OF A PARKED CAR THAT A SMALL CHILD WAS RUNNING AROUND THE PARKING LOT UNSUPERVISED. TERRI PARKER SPOKE WITH A WOMAN IN THE VIDEO AND JOINS US LIVE WITH NEW INFORMATION FROM POLICE. TERRI. RIGHT, TODD. WE’RE HEARING MORE FROM THAT PREGNANT DELRAY BEACH MOTHER OF FOUR, WHO SAYS THAT BOCA RATON POLICE OFFICER WHO PUT HER ON THE GROUND DURING ARREST IN HANDCUFFS AND HAD A KNEE IN HER BACK. AND SHE SAYS WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS PREGNANT, HE SAID HE DIDN’T CARE. SHE WANTS THAT OFFICER FIRED. I’M GOING TO LOCK YOU UP. I DON’T CARE. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS VIDEO OF THE ARREST OF NATALIA LAWRENCE, FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT AND NOW CALLING FOR MORE THAN AN INVESTIGATION. HONESTLY, TO ME, I WANT HIM FIRED. LIKE I THINK HE SHOULD NOT BE ON THE FORCE ANYMORE. LAWRENCE AND HER BOYFRIEND, HARRY HARDY, SPOKE TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE OF THE BOCA RATON POLICE STATION TWO WEEKS AFTER POLICE RESPONDED TO A DISTURBANCE CALLED IN BY A BYSTANDER WHO SAID THE COUPLE WAS FIGHTING AT A MOBIL GAS STATION. HARDY POUNDING ON THE CAR AND A SMALL CHILD RUNNING AROUND POSSIBLY IN DANGER. LAWRENCE SAYS THEY WERE JUST HAVING A NORMAL ARGUMENT ABOUT THEIR CAR BREAKING DOWN. WE TOLD THEM THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD, AND OFFICER MCNICHOL DECIDED TO GET VERY AGGRESSIVE. I KEPT TELLING HIM THAT I WAS PREGNANT AND THAT IT WAS HURTING. AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE DID NOT CARE. POLICE SAY LAWRENCE AND HARDY REFUSED REPEATEDLY TO PROVIDE ID, EVEN WHEN OFFICERS TOLD THEM THEY WOULD BE ARRESTED. AND THAT’S WHEN OFFICER MCNICHOL NO FIRST NAME PROVIDED HAUED HER OUT OF THE CAR, PUT HER ON THE GROUND AND IN HANDCUFFS. I ASKED LAWRENCE WHY SHE DIDN’T SHOW HER ID BECAUSE I DIDN’T NEED TO. I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE I NEEDED TO. AND HE WAS VERY RUDE AND AGGRESSIVE AND HE WASN’T POLITE AT ALL. POLICE SAY IT TURNS OUT LAWRENCE HAD AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT AFTER BEING TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. SHE WAS ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF RESISTING AN OFFICER WITHOUT VIOLENCE. AND HARDY, WHO POLICE SAY FIRST APPROACHED OFFICERS AFTER BEING TOLD TO STOP AND THEN RAN FROM THEM, WAS ARRESTED FOR BATTERY ON A POLICE OFFICER. BOTH SAY THEY WERE TREATED UNFAIRLY AND WANT A FULL INVESTIGATION ON WHAT I WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE FROM THIS SITUATION IS THAT YOU CAN’T JUST TREAT ANYBODY ANY KIND OF WAY JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BADGE AND YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO, OR YOU THINK YOU DO. AND BOCA RATON POLICE HAVE LAUNCHED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION AND THE COUPLE SAYS THEY ARE PURSUING A CIVIL LAWSUIT. COMING UP AT SIX, HEAR FROM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NATIONAL THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK, WHO IS ALSO CALLING FOR ACTION. LIVE IN BOCA RATON.
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National Action Network joins cause of pregnant Florida woman whose takedown arrest was caught on body camera
The Delray Beach pregnant mother of four calling for the firing of a Boca Raton police officer who threw her to the ground before arresting her has been joined by a representative of the National Action Network in calling for a full investigation.Nerillia Laurent, her boyfriend Harry Hardy, family members, and Bryce Graham spoke to reporters outside of the Boca Raton Police Department Monday, “We are demanding that they hold this officer accountable for his misconduct on that day because there was no incident until he arrived. And we want to make it clear that we will not tolerate this kind of misconduct from any officer in this county or in this city," said Graham.“But honestly, to me, I want him fired. Like, I think he should not be on the force anymore," said Laurent. Boca Raton police are investigating the incident, which happened two weeks ago when police responded to a disturbance called in by a bystander who said the couple was fighting at a Mobil gas station, Hardy pounding on the car and a small child running around, possibly in danger.Police say Laurent repeatedly refused to provide her driver's license even when officers told her she would be arrested, and that’s when Officer McNichol – no first name provided — hauled her out of the car, put her on the ground and in handcuffs.WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker asked Laurent why she didn’t show her ID."Because I didn't need to. I didn't feel like I needed to. And he was very rude and aggressive, and he wasn't polite at all," said Laurent, who said she had committed no crime.Police said Laurent had an active warrant for her arrest for several charges, including failure to appear and giving an officer a false name when being arrested.Laurent was charged with resisting an officer without violence.Hardy, who police said approached officers and failed to stop when they put hands on his chest and then ran away, was charged with battery on a police officer.The police chief said an internal affairs investigation has been initiated into the officer’s conduct, and it will be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on the outcome of that investigation.Laurent said she may pursue a civil lawsuit.

The Delray Beach pregnant mother of four calling for the firing of a Boca Raton police officer who threw her to the ground before arresting her has been joined by a representative of the National Action Network in calling for a full investigation.

Nerillia Laurent, her boyfriend Harry Hardy, family members, and Bryce Graham spoke to reporters outside of the Boca Raton Police Department Monday,

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“We are demanding that they hold this officer accountable for his misconduct on that day because there was no incident until he arrived. And we want to make it clear that we will not tolerate this kind of misconduct from any officer in this county or in this city," said Graham.

“But honestly, to me, I want him fired. Like, I think he should not be on the force anymore," said Laurent.

Boca Raton police are investigating the incident, which happened two weeks ago when police responded to a disturbance called in by a bystander who said the couple was fighting at a Mobil gas station, Hardy pounding on the car and a small child running around, possibly in danger.

Police say Laurent repeatedly refused to provide her driver's license even when officers told her she would be arrested, and that’s when Officer McNichol – no first name provided — hauled her out of the car, put her on the ground and in handcuffs.

WPBF 25 News investigative reporter Terri Parker asked Laurent why she didn’t show her ID.

"Because I didn't need to. I didn't feel like I needed to. And he was very rude and aggressive, and he wasn't polite at all," said Laurent, who said she had committed no crime.

Police said Laurent had an active warrant for her arrest for several charges, including failure to appear and giving an officer a false name when being arrested.

Laurent was charged with resisting an officer without violence.

Hardy, who police said approached officers and failed to stop when they put hands on his chest and then ran away, was charged with battery on a police officer.

The police chief said an internal affairs investigation has been initiated into the officer’s conduct, and it will be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on the outcome of that investigation.

Laurent said she may pursue a civil lawsuit.