A Black woman has filed a lawsuit with the Platte County Circuit Court against Officer Blayne Newton of the Kansas City Police Department.
The officer, who has a long history of controversial shootings, now stands accused of excessive force against a Black woman, Bermeeka Mitchell.
This legal action adds to a series of controversies surrounding Newton, including accusations of police brutality and involvement in fatal shootings during his seven-year tenure.
The lawsuit, filed by Mitchell on Feb. 6, alleges assault and battery by Officer Newton during an incident at a Walmart in Platte County, Missouri, on Sept. 11, 2022.
Mitchell claims Newton forcefully twisted her arms and applied his boot’s heel to her foot during her arrest for trespassing, leaving visible marks from tight handcuffing.
Despite Mitchell’s assertion of innocence and the lack of charges against her, court records indicate that the Kansas City Police Department’s Office of Community Complaints sustained her allegations of excessive force against Newton.
However, details regarding any disciplinary action taken remain undisclosed.
This is not the first time Newton has faced legal action. In previous incidents, he was accused of kneeling on a pregnant Black woman during an arrest and was involved in fatal shootings, including those of Marcell T. Nelson and Kristen Fairchild in June 2023, and Donnie Sanders in March 2020.
The ongoing lawsuit filed by Donnie Sanders’ family, seeking compensation and alleging a failure in proper training and supervision by police commissioners, highlights the broader concerns surrounding Newton’s conduct.
Newton, in response, has invoked qualified immunity in defense against the accusations, asserting the reasonableness of his actions under the circumstances.
The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for addressing systemic challenges within the Kansas City Police Department and beyond.
