California woman wins $17M after violent arrest by sheriff's deputies
A Northern California woman who was violently arrested during a family trip in 2020 has reached a $17 million settlement with Solano County. Nakia Porter filed a federal lawsuit accusing sheriff’s deputies of unlawful seizure, assault, and excessive force, alleging they violated her constitutional rights when they pulled guns on her, slammed her to the ground, and handcuffed her in front of her father and children. Porter, who had stepped out of her vehicle to switch drivers on the night of August 6, 2020, was detained along a rural road in Dixon. Body camera footage captured her pleading with deputies, stating she was not resisting, before they forced her onto the pavement. Her father, Joe Powell, was also briefly handcuffed but later released. Porter was jailed overnight on suspicion of resisting arrest, though no charges were ever filed.
The lawsuit accused the deputies of fabricating reports to claim Porter had fought them and of downplaying the severity of her injuries. In the footage, deputies can be heard shouting commands as they struck Porter, forced her onto her stomach, and cuffed her. Seconds later, she lost consciousness, with one deputy remarking, “I think she’s out.” Porter, who is 5-foot-2 and 125 pounds, was dragged unconscious to a squad car before regaining awareness minutes later. She later described the incident as deeply traumatizing, saying the deputies treated her family “less than human.” Her attorney, Yasin Almadani, said the settlement serves as recognition of the harm done, adding that what happened should “never happen in our society.” Neither Solano County officials nor the sheriff’s office offered immediate comment on the settlement.
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