Earlier this month, Zennea Foster, a woman born with Erb’s Palsy, continued her testimony during a civil trial about how officers from the Los Angeles Police Department 77th Street Division allegedly retaliated against her in February of 2015.
On February 4, 2015, Foster and her boyfriend arrived to her rental property in South L.A. where several tenants who live on fixed income stay, to address the authorities about a stabbing incident that allegedly involved one of her tenants.
According to Foster, soon the situation escalated resulting in one of the officers repeatedly punching her in the face and other parts of her body, and pinning down her non-functioning arm underneath her body.
Following the incident, Foster was charged with battery on a police officer, and resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer in the performance of his duties.
Although Foster admits to hitting one of the officers in self-defense, she is suing the Los Angeles Police Department for civil rights violations, assault, and battery.
“It was a natural reaction after he hit me,” said Foster of Los Angeles police Officer Andre Burton.
During the trial, Foster told the Los Angeles Superior Court jury that after falling to the ground, other officers joined in and began kicking, and striking her with their knees or elbows which later resulted in Foster feeling back pain.
“They kept saying I was resisting arrest, but I wasn’t,” Foster said.
According to Foster’s lawyer, Douglas, his client’s legs were “hobbled” and she survived the “worst beating of a female by police.”
“Never in my over 37-year career have I ever heard of a woman being beaten as badly as Zennea Foster was on February 4, 2015,” said Douglas.
“The Defendants concede that they are responsible for her battered and bruised face. One of the Defendants who was recently deposed admitted that he could think of only one other time in his 27-year police career of a police officer punching a woman two times in the face. Another officer–a sergeant–conceded that he had never over the course of his 21-year career ever heard of a police officer striking a woman twice in her face. Another officer conceded that he had never encountered another incident in his nine-year career of a woman being punched twice in her face by another officer. That officer stands at least nine inches taller than Ms. Foster and weighs at least 60 pounds more than her and just heightens the outrageousness of his actions. That she is disabled and physically unable to have done the things that she was alleged to have done serves to increase the maliciousness of her attack.”
As of press time, the civil trial continues and Foster’s attorney will deliver any closing arguments involving the case. For the latest news on the case of Zennea Foster case please visit www.lasentinel.net
