Pregnant Black Woman Tasered by Evergreen Police at her Wedding Reception

Thursday, September 30, 2004 at 05:50PM
TheSpook

A suburban bride and her father accuse Evergreen Park police officers of assaulting them with stun guns at a wedding reception. The bride was two months pregnant when she was tasered in the stomach.  The Evergreen Park police say its officers used the stun gun after Clarence Phelps and his daughter, Romona Madison, became disorderly and resisted arrest. Clarence Phelps and Romona Madison said they did nothing to deserve the taser gun attack and are now suing the police department. According to a federal lawsuit filed against Evergreen Park police, the party was winding down in Phelps' backyard when a female police officer was called to the scene, responding to a noise complaint. "She asked that the music be turned off. The music was turned off. She did not leave the home," said Elliot Richardson, plaintiff's attorney. Richardson says what followed was a discussion between Phelps and the police officer. She called for back-up, and when other officers arrived, Phelps says he was tasered with a taser gun. "Ms. Madison called out for the officer to stop. They followed her into the house where she was arrested and tasered in the stomach -- despite advising the 'tasering' officer that she was pregnant."  Madison, who is two months pregnant, said she feared her pregnancy was in jeopardy after the stun gun. The lawsuit says Madison requested to be taken to the hospital, but police refused.  [more ] and [more ] and [more

Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).