In a classic case of abuse by the powers that be, Worcester-resident Daisy Morales says she was physically abused and insulted by a cop because of her ethnicity.
Now she has finally been paid out by the city.
Although the $125,000 she has been awarded are significantly lower than her million dollar lawsuit, she says will not be going to trial because the violence she suffered still haunts her.
On February 25, 2013 Police Officer James Powers told the 61-year-old grandmother he was tired of civilians from her racial background.
His exact words were: “I’m sick of dealing with you Latinos”.
Police officers had already visited on Daisy Morale’s apartment twice that day.
They had been responding to complaints that the household was noisy and disturbing the neighbors’ peace – a charge that was later established to be untrue.
The third time round it was Powers who turned up, the cop barged in without permission.
When Morales tried to explain that there were no disturbances taking place on her property, she was told to “shut the fuck up!”
Powers then uttered the racial slur.
Morales happened to have company at the time. Sheila Alles was disturbed by the profanities the senior citizen was being subjected to.
So she questioned the police officer as to why he was being rude.
The query infuriated Powers terribly. He charged at Alles, who was sitting on a sofa, flipped around and slammed her on the couch after placing her arms behind her back, he handcuffed her. He shouted: “I’m going to arrest you”.
“Oh my God, police brutality,” Morales said looking at the gruesome scene unfold before her eyes.
It was as though Powers was waiting for his cue. He turned onto the elderly woman.
“I will show you police brutality,” shouted the enraged cop.
He then charged on her and body slammed her five foot four inch 135 pound frame with all his strength.
As she landed face down on the floor her glasses broke. As if this was not enough, he picked her up again and shoved her onto a piece of furniture. By now Morales was shrieking in pain from the several bones in her body that had already broken.
The sadistic officer then flipped her around to handcuff her, she was already crying out in agony from her injuries, which included a broken shoulder.
It was not until a second officer arrived that Morales’ manacles were placed in front of her body. She was then taken by an ambulance to the hospital.
As it turns out, in the encounter that would have lasted not very long, the woman suffered life-threatening permanent injuries requiring several corrective surgical procedures and regular physiotherapy.
It took Morales almost a year to gather the courage to come forward with filing a lawsuit against the officer.
Powers continues to be a member of the department.
Read the court document in its entirety below:
