LA woman who lifted baton during police shooting faces long prison term

A homeless woman who picked up a nightstick dropped by a Los Angeles policeman involved in the fatal March shooting of a homeless man has been charge with assault with a deadly weapon and could face life in prison.

Thirty-four-year-old Trishawn Cardessa Carey, who said she suffers from mental illness, appears in a video that shows the fatal police shooting, the Los Angeles Times reported. The footage shows Carey briefly lifting the baton, but does not show her threatening or striking anyone. 

Witnesses said up to six officers were involved in the March struggle with the homeless man, known as “Africa,” and two left to handcuff Carey when they noticed her pick up the nightstick.

Both Carey and the homeless man are black. The incident comes amid increasing tension between Los Angeles Skid Row residents and police — who have been accused of being too heavy-handed in their interactions with the homeless.

Just over two months after Africa was killed by police, another unarmed, black homeless man known as "Dizzle" was fatally shot by Los Angeles police in Venice Beach.

On Thursday night, Los Angeles County District Attorny Jackie Lacey said that her office would review the case, according to the Los Angeles Times. Lacey's office told the TImes that she "didn't learn of the specific charges or that the defendant was mentally ill until this week," and had asked managers to review the case. Earlier this week, Lacey set out details of an plan to keep more mentally ill people out of jail and to get them help instead.

Carey supporters say her case is an example of excessive charges being filed against black people. The charges are “just updated Jim Crow,” said Suzette Shaw, of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, which focuses on poverty in policy making.

Deputy District Attorney Gregory Denton rejects that characterization. “It's just one woman charged here,” he said.

Denton told the Times he plans to argue that Carey tried to attack the officer by "picking up the officer's baton and raising the baton to strike the officer."

Carey’s bail was originally set at $1 million, but was reduced to $50,000 on Wednesday, according to Times.

Carey could face 25 years to life in prison because of California’s three-strikes law. Under the law, people convicted three times of violent or serious felonies face lengthy prison terms. Carey has two previous felony charges, the Times reported.

“I’ve seen the video, you’ve seen the video; she doesn’t go after anybody,” said Milton Grimes, Carey’s attorney. “Is possession of a baton an assault? No. The legal basis appears to me to be a distraction or cover-up of the killing of a man by police.”

Grimes said in a report filed to the court that Carey should be out of prison and receiving treatment for her mental health disorders. He noted that Carey had been steered into prostitution by her mother at 14, the Times reported.

Homeless advocates said while police brutality may have played a role in the deaths of Africa and Dizzle, as well as the charges against Carey, there were broader issues at play — namely gentrification, a lack of affordable housing and criminalization of the homeless.

“I think it’s important to understand that in Venice Beach and also in Skid Row, police brutality and the criminalization of the homeless can’t be separated,” said Eric Ares, communications coordinator at Los Angeles Community Action Network.

“Venice Beach and Skid Row are the two most police-saturated areas of the city, and it is no coincidence it’s also where homeless folks butt up against wealthy folks,” he added.

With wire services