Mississippi Woman Sues Police After Traffic Stop Leads to Head Wound, Claims $3 Million for Excessive Force

A Mississippi woman, Sherita Harris, is suing two police officers for excessive force after a traffic stop in 2022 resulted in a gunshot wound to her head. Her $3 million lawsuit targets the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the Mississippi Capitol Police Department, and the two individual officers, Michael Rhinewalt and Jeffery Walker.

Harris alleges that she was a passenger in a car pulled over at a traffic light in Jackson, Mississippi on August 14, 2022. According to her complaint, Officer Rhinewalt opened fire on the car without provocation, prompting the driver to flee. While escaping the gunfire, Harris sustained a bullet wound to the head and required surgery to remove fragments.

Following the incident, Harris claims to experience lasting complications with her speech, movement, and cognitive abilities. Her lawsuit accuses the officers of assault, battery, and gross negligence, and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety of failing to properly train and supervise them.

Neither the Mississippi Department of Public Safety nor the Mississippi Capitol Police Department have commented on the lawsuit. However, Officer Walker previously testified that he and his partner attempted to pull over the car for running a red light and opened fire in response to perceived gunfire from the vehicle.

Crucially, the officers lacked body cameras or dashcam footage to corroborate their version of events. For Harris, the shooting has fundamentally altered her life, leaving her feeling handicapped and forever changed.

 

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