FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York Civil Rights Lawyer Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., alleges in a $35 million lawsuit against the United States Customs and Border Protection that a school counselor was racially profiled and forced to undergo an ‘unlawful body cavity search’
New York, NY, March 28, 2018 — Ms. Tameika Lovell, a School Counselor and United States Citizen alleges that she was subjected to racial profiling and an ‘unlawful body cavity search’ while reentering the United States through John F. Kennedy Airport.
According to the lawsuit, on November 27, 2016, Ms. Lovell landed at JFK Airport traveling home from her trip to Jamaica after visiting family and friends. While passing through the security checkpoint, Ms. Lovell claims she was ‘racially profiled’ with an unsupervised unlawful ‘random stop.’ Ms. Lovell claims these ‘unlawful’ stops are becoming more frequently experienced by females of color. Ms. Lovell claims she was unlawfully stopped, frisked and searched although she violated no laws.
Ms. Lovell alleges that she was forced to accompany Officers Parker and Munoz’ to another area within Terminal 4 of JFK airport and told to squat down in front of them. After allegedly being subjected to intense questioning about the nature and frequency of her travel, Ms. Lovell claims the Officer Parker then squeezed her breasts, asked her to spread her legs, ‘forcibly’ inserted 4 gloved fingers into her vagina and swiped her hand between her buttocks.
After the search was completed, Ms. Lovell felt violated, shocked, afraid, and requested to speak with a supervisor. Ms. Lovell claims when she spoke with a male supervisor, he basically told her that this was a ‘random search.’ Ms. Lovell claims, he said that she may be subjected to another ‘random search’ because she travels frequently and concluded by telling her, “we’re the federal government and we have the right to search you.”
Shortly, thereafter, Ms. Lovell visited a local hospital to be examined, they referred her to a rape counselor and contacted the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey Police Department. Ms. Lovell claims she also filed a complaint with the Officer of the District Attorney, Queens County. However, other than meeting once with Ms. Lovell, She claims the Queens District Attorney has taken no action against the officers.
New York Civil Rights Lawyer Eric Sanders, Esq., says, “Unfortunately, some quick research indicates, these so-called ‘random searches’ actually target persons of color, particularly woman. Based upon the circumstances, the officers had no ‘legal basis’ to subject Ms. Lovell to an invasive ‘body cavity search.’ With this lawsuit, we intend to end these unlawful practices and hold these parties responsible.”
Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., filed the federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Docket No.: 18 cv 1867, on March 28, 2018.
ABOUT THE SANDERS FIRM, P.C.
The Sanders Firm, P.C. offers those in the New York City area legal services related and connected to civil rights, civil service rights, criminal law and discrimination. We firmly believe in everyone’s individual rights that are described and guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. We understand that our freedoms and liberties are sacrosanct and that they have been won in many and various hard-fought battles. We are committed in every way to protecting your civil rights. We are your voice for justice!
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