STOP POLICE ABUSES IN SALISBURY, N.C. POLICE DEPT.

Salisbury Police Officer Mark Hunter is an out of control cop in Salisbury, N.C. who wields his power with impunity and is a threat to the health and well being of the citizens of Salisbury, North Carolina. Officer Mark Hunter has on at least two occasions, been captured on video violating the constitutional rights of citizens who were recording traffic stops in the community.

Felicia Gibson, a 29 yr old working mother who is currently enrolled in classes at an institution of higher learning to create better opportunities for herself and family, was standing on her front porch along with a family member and neighbor observing and video recording a police traffic stop back in November 20099, which occurred right in front of her home. Officer Mark Hunter who was standing in the street with several other officers looked in the direction of Ms. Gibon’s home and barked at community members to “get in the house”. Ms. Gibson, a citizen of the United States and the state of North Carolina was engaged in no criminal behavior was merely exercising her right to observe public servants carrying out their duties in her community. She posed no danger to officers who had secured suspects and were gathered in a crowd discussing the stop in front of Ms. Gibson’s house. Ms. Gibson can be heard on the recording questioning by what authority Officer Mark Hunter could order citizens to go in the house. Although Ms. Gibson decided to comply with Hunter’s questionable command, Officer Mark Hunter pursued her into her home bypassing other citizens who were also observing the traffic stop.

In another video posted on Youtube titled “Salisbury NC So-Call Finest Cops gone Wrong”, Salisbury Police Officer Mark Hunter, can be seen going after another citizen of the community who was recording another traffic stop while standing in the front yard of a residence. Captions in the video state that Officer Hunter yelled “Turn that off, we are recording it ourselves”. It should be pointed out that Officer Mark Hunter was involved in a police raid on a Salisbury night club called Club LaBamba in 2009 where citizens were attacked and beaten. Former Salisbury Police Officer Kareem Puranda was forced to resign after his unprovoked assault on a patron was captured on video and distributed.

In the case of Felicia Gibson, Salisbury Police Officer Mark Hunter is guilty of harassment, illegal entry, assault, unlawful arrest, and perhaps even more. A number of citizens of the Salisbury community have named Salisbury Officer Mark Hunter a clear and present danger to their Constitutional and Civil Rights. Judge Beth Dixon found that the victim, Ms. Gibson, was guilty of "resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer" during his traffic stop. How is it that a citizens stand on their front porch observing police in their community making a traffic stop in the public street in front of their home be convicted of such charges? Judge Beth Dixon told Ms. Gibson in court that “she hoped Gibson learned to respect law enforcement”. In her rendering a guilty verdict in this case Judge Dixon made it clear that public servants do not need to respect the Constitution nor the civil rights of citizens of the United States.

Assistant District Attorney Karen Biernacki showed poor judgment in prosecuting this case in a criminal justice system that should be focused on prosecuting real crimes instead of wasting tax payers money on frivolous prosecutions.

Officer Hunter continues to harasses Felicia Gibson charging her with disorderly conduct after he issued her a parking citation and she expressed her displeasure by saying “this is bull-s”.

Committee for Justice for Felicia Gibson

Co-Chair Abasi Baruti

Co-Chair Ife Johari

E-mail - c4justicefg@gmail.com

Phone - (704) 762-1557

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