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Black Teen Receives $250K Settlement After Traumatic Wrongful Traffic Stop

North Myrtle Beach, SCLa’Nisha Hemingway, an 18-year-old African American teen from South Carolina, has been awarded a $250,000 settlement following a wrongful traffic stop that left her traumatized. The incident occurred on May 3 in North Myrtle Beach when police officers mistook her vehicle for a stolen car and detained her at gunpoint.

North Myrtle Beach police officers held Hemingway at gunpoint, handcuffed her, had her kneel on the ground, and searched her car without verifying her registration.

When Officer Kayla Wallace pulled her over, Hemingway was driving a dark gray Dodge Charger. Officers were searching for a stolen silver Dodge Challenger with a different license plate and description. Despite these apparent discrepancies, Officer Wallace and another officer, Mike Pacileo, escalated the situation. Bodycam footage later revealed that Wallace realized early on that Hemingway’s vehicle was not the stolen one. Still, the officers held Hemingway at gunpoint, handcuffed her, and searched her car without verifying her registration.

When the stop occurred, the high school senior was en route to meet friends for a pre-graduation celebration. Repeatedly, Hemingway pleaded with officers to check her documents and asked why she was being detained. She also requested to call her mother but was ignored.

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La’Nisha Hemingway (right front) standing along side Attorney Larry Bailey (front middle) grandmother Janet Hemingway (front left) and other family members at the press conference after settlement announced. (Photo: Dylan Ortung/postandcourier.com

A month after the incident, Hemingway filed a federal lawsuit against the officers, accusing them of false imprisonment, excessive force, and negligence. The lawsuit resulted in a $250,000 settlement, though no disciplinary action was taken against the officers, who remain employed with the North Myrtle Beach Police Department.

Hemingway, speaking at a news conference, shared the emotional toll the incident has had on her life. She now struggles with anxiety, PTSD, and depression as a result of the wrongful stop.

“The police officers around the world are supposed to be here to protect us, not cause harm or trauma,” Hemingway said. “The incident with North Myrtle Beach Police Department ruined my life. I’m not the same anymore. Every night, I’m up thinking about how my life could have been taken away.”

The settlement offers some closure, but for Hemingway, the psychological scars from the encounter remain.

Photos: Screenshot from North Myrtle Beach Police bodycam footage

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