A Capitol Police officer is the subject of a recent lawsuit filed by a woman who claims that she was shot in the head during a traffic stop in Jackson.
According to the suit, the incident began when Capitol Police Officer Michael Maldonado turned on his lights at the intersection of State and Amite Street in mid-August of 2022.
The lawsuit states that the driver of the vehicle, 30-year-old Sinatra Rakim Jordan, immediately pulled over once Maldonado signaled for him to stop. Maldonado then allegedly began shooting, leading Jordan to attempt to drive away to “escape the constant firing of bullets.”
A passenger in the vehicle, Sherita Harris, received a gunshot wound to the head during the incident, with the suit claiming that she had to undergo surgery to remove the bullet fragments as a result.
Now, Harris says that she experiences “severe complications with her speech, gait, and overall cognizant abilities,” leading her to request $3 million in damages for the officer’s alleged actions during the incident.
Earlier this year, an indictment revealed additional information surrounding the event, including an incident report stating that although Maldonado requested assistance for the traffic stop, Jordan ran from Capitol Police Officers Jeffery Walker and Rhine Walt.
In addition, Jordan was said to have also fired back shots at the two officers, resulting in him being charged with felony fleeing and two counts of aggravated assault.
Harris’ attorney, Carlos Moore, has since released that a press conference will be held on Wednesday to answer questions about the incident.
