Woman Beaten by California Officer Gets $1.5 Million
A woman who was repeatedly punched by a California Highway Patrol officer will receive $1.5 million under a settlement. Officer Daniel Andrew, who joined the CHP in 2012 and has been on paid administrative leave since the incident, “has elected to resign.” The agreement came after a nine-hour mediation session in Los Angeles September 24, 2014.
CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow confirmed the settlement in an emailed statement and an attorney for Marlene Pinnock confirmed the dollar amount for The Associated Press.
The punching occurred after motorists’ 911 calls reported that Pinnock, who is bipolar, was walking barefoot along the freeway and the responding officer pulled her from traffic, according to a legal document in the case. The incident was caught on video and was used for evidence in the case.
According to public court documents last month, Andrew had just pulled Pinnock from oncoming traffic, and she resisted by pushing him. Andrew then straddled her on the ground as Pinnock resisted by “kicking her legs, grabbing the officer’s uniform and twisting her body,” the warrant said. Andrew “struck her in the upper torso and head several times with a closed right fist,” the records say.
The July 1 video of Andrew punching Pinnock was recorded by a passing driver on Interstate 10 west of downtown Los Angeles – below.