Brookside, Al. – A 62-year-old woman from Alabama is suing the town of Brookside, its former police chief and two unknown officers, alleging that the officers stole her $5,000 life savings and her prescription medication after pulling her over for no reason.
According to the federal lawsuit, Jeanetta Jones was pulled over in December by Brookside police when she was driving home around 2 p.m. When Jones asked why she was being stopped, one of the officers told her they could stop whoever they wanted, the suit says.
“Then he asked me how can you afford to drive a car like this? I said cause God blessed me with it,” Jones said as she described the police encounter during a town hall meeting.
The officers detained Jones for more than an hour as they searched her car without her consent. Once the search was complete, Jones got back in her car and noticed her prescription pills and cash were missing, the suit alleges.
“They took $5,000 from me and 120 Percocets,” Jones said.
The lawsuit says the $5,000 in cash was Jones’ life savings, and the pills were legally prescribed for pain.
“She requested the return of her money and medication,” the lawsuit says. “They refused to return either and laughed at her, telling the plaintiff they could do whatever they wanted.”
The lawsuit, which marks the 13th filed against the tiny north Jefferson County town of Brookside, claims that Jones was falsely arrested and imprisoned, and that her rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments were violated. She’s asking for monetary damages.
Brookside Mayor Mike Bryan responded to the complaint via email saying, in part:
Mrs. Jones claims she was pulled over on December 20 between 2:30-3pm during the day. None of our canine officers with their canine works during the day at Brookside Police Department due to lack of resources.
Chief Irby is in the process of assessing complaints against Brookside Police Department. Mrs. Jones’ complaint cannot be researched without more information, such as providing the names of officers or witnesses to the occurrence.