La’Nisha Hemingway, an 18-year-old high school graduate from South Carolina, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against three North Myrtle Beach police officers and the City of North Myrtle Beach. The incident occurred on May 3, when Hemingway was pulled over while driving to meet friends. Mistaking her dark gray Dodge Charger for a stolen silver Dodge Challenger, the officers forced her to walk backwards at gunpoint before handcuffing her. It was only after she was detained that the officers realized they had stopped the wrong car.
The lawsuit, filed by the Bailey Law Firm, claims that officers Michael Pacileo, Kayla Wallace, and Dana Crowell acted negligently and recklessly during the stop. Hemingway’s attorney, Tyler Bailey, highlighted several procedural failures, including the officers’ failure to ask for Hemingway’s license or registration and their delay in filing a report. Bodycam footage captures one officer admitting, “That’s not it,” indicating they had the wrong vehicle. The incident has left Hemingway traumatized, exacerbating her existing grief from losing her father to gun violence.
Hemingway’s family expressed outrage and distress over the incident. Her uncle, Dr. Aaron Cox, a veteran law enforcement officer, criticized the officers’ handling of the situation, stating they failed to follow proper procedures. Hemingway’s grandmother, Janet, noted that the officers didn’t even ask for her granddaughter’s name, emphasizing their lack of basic investigative steps. The family, while relieved Hemingway is physically unharmed, is deeply troubled by the psychological impact of the wrongful detention and is seeking justice through the lawsuit. Read more