Officer who body-slammed teenager at West Charlotte High suspended without pay
The school resource officer who body-slammed a girl at West Charlotte High School last year was suspended without pay for excessive force, according to a letter from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to the girl’s family.
Officer Hasun Rogers “slammed” freshman Ke’Nadie Cathey “to the ground, on her back and head,” according to the letter signed by Chief Estella Patterson and Internal Affairs Maj. Brian Trull. She “immediately lost consciousness and experienced a seizure as a result,” the letter said.
An attorney for the girl’s family, Micheal Littlejohn, shared the March 10 letter with The Charlotte Observer.
CMPD declined to comment.
Video of Rogers body-slamming Cathey circulated online shortly after the incident in late October, and Cathey’s family later said at a press conference that she suffered a subdural hematoma, a type of brain bleed.
Principal warned officer about ‘gang fight’
The letter said that West Charlotte High School’s principal approached Rogers on Oct. 31 and warned him about a “potential gang fight after school dismissal.”
When students were dismissed around 2:20 p.m. that day, many began running toward the school bus lot, according to the letter.
Rogers and two other CMPD officers were in the lot. The officers “alerted dispatch to a large crowd forming and requested additional units to help with crowd control.” School staff were also there.
Rogers drew his Taser, scanned the crowd and “pressed the arc button to disperse the crowd,” according to the letter. A Taser’s arc button causes it to zap as a warning.
Rogers saw a student assaulting another student. Even after that fight was broken up and the attacking student was separated, the letter said, a crowd was still gathered around Rogers. Again, the letter said, he “stood up and pressed the arc button to disperse the crowd.”
Cathey punched a staff member and a student on the ground, according to the letter, and Rogers pushed her away.
“Officer Rogers then wrapped his arms around Miss Cathey’s upper body while still holding his TASER in his left hand,” the letter said. “Officer Rogers lifted Miss Cathey off the ground, above his waist, while she flailed her arms. Officer Rogers stated he was struck.”
When he slammed her down and she had a seizure, he called for MEDIC, the letter said.
Internal affairs interviewed witnesses and Rogers, and examined evidence for the review.
Ryan Oehrli covers criminal justice in the Charlotte region for The Charlotte Observer. His work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The Observer maintains full editorial control of its journalism.