Three Texas police were indicted two years ago after a forced strip and cavity search during a traffic stop that left a woman emotionally scarred. Formal charges were dropped against two of the officers and a third has yet to even be charged. Recently, outrage has been reignited over the police dash cam video of the indecent and new charges may be underway.
The incident happened late one night during a traffic stop when then 21-year-old Charneisha Corley, who was a college student with no criminal record, was pulled over for running a stop sign. Police claimed to have smelled marijuana coming from the car but a search revealed nothing. In the dash cam video, an officer can be heard telling a passenger of the vehicle "Oh we are going to find something, even if we have to put our hands on her."
The video shows officers slamming Corley to the ground and pulling her pants down while her head was under her car on the side of the ride. An 11 minute vaginal cavity search ensued in what Corley's attorney calls "rape by cop."
In a statement made by Harris County prosecutor Natasha Sinclair she said "No one in this office stands by the search the way it was conducted. No one condones that." Yet no charges have been filed. Corley was charged with resisting arrest and possession of .02 ounces of marijuana. Sinclair's office has reportedly come across "new evidence" and will likely be pursuing a new indictment but Corley's attorney says he hopes a special prosecutor is hired without any ties to Harris County law enforcement.
Such a grievous violation of a person's rights should not be acceptable, besides the gross manner of which the search was conducted, the over all reason for the search itself is baseless and without merit. Many states have already legalized recreational marijuana and it's high time we as a society recognize use of marijuana falls under personal choice and should not result in criminal charges.
