Did she lie? New evidence in sexual assault allegation against Texas state trooper causes case to fall apart
A Texas woman accused a state trooper of raping her, but bodycam footage contradicts her claim, forcing an apology from her lawyer
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This story has been updated.
A Black woman who accused a law enforcement officer of raping her is now under fire after newly released video shows that no rape took place, reports WFAA.com.
Bodycam footage cleared Texas state trooper Daniel Hubbard of sexually assaulting Sherita Dixon-Cole, who was pulled over for a traffic violation in the early morning May 20. She was arrested on a DWI charge and taken to the Ellis County, Tex., jail.
But after the arrest she claimed that the trooper made sexual advances toward her, and when she refused, she was sexually assaulted both inside and outside the vehicle. After her family posted bond, Dixon-Cole was released several hours later and went to a hospital for medical treatment and testing.
Her attorney, S. Lee Merritt, publicly demanded that the Texas Department of Public Safety release footage of the arrest, which was echoed widely by activist and writer Shaun King, who posted the alleged incident several times around social media and the internet, which then went viral.
READ MORE: Activist and attorney both allege a Texas trooper raped a Black woman who was pulled over for DUI
But upon investigation, the Texas Department of Public Safety determined that body cam footage showed no evidence of any such assault. The nearly two-hour video shows a routine traffic stop and arrest, but nothing to suggest Hubbard was guilty of the accusations against him.
“The video shows absolutely no evidence to support the egregious and unsubstantiated accusations against the Trooper during the DWI arrest of the suspect,” wrote Lonny Haschel, Staff Lieutenant with Texas DPS in a statement. “The Department is appalled that anyone would make such a despicable, slanderous and false accusation against a peace officer who willingly risks his life every day to protect and serve the public.”
Merritt released a statement early Wednesday morning on Facebook addressing the release of the body-cam footage.
Press Release concerning released body-cam footage by Texas DPS pic.twitter.com/ExpbgmJEH5
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) May 23, 2018
It is unclear what Dixon-Cole’s motive may have been for making the allegations against Hubbard. Meanwhile, King’s social media posts regarding the case have been deleted. Wednesday afternoon, amid waves of attacks on social media for being at the center of the case, he tweeted, acknowledging that the accusation was false, but issuing no apology.
Today the Texas Department of Public Safety released this body camera footage of the traffic stop, field sobriety test, and subsequent arrest of Sherita Dixon-Cole.
It does not appear to show any verbal threats, sexual assault, or police brutality.https://t.co/qkz35GtDJd
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) May 23, 2018
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