Marlene Pinnock, the woman who was assaulted by a California Highway Patrol officer, has settled with the department for $1.5 Million. The settlement was reached on Wednesday night following months of deliberation. CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow confirmed the settlement through email.
Back in July, a motorist recorded a patrolman brutally beating a woman on the side of the highway. Pinnock, a 51-year-old grandmother who suffers from bipolar disorder, was his victim.The officer, identified as Daniel Andrew, claimed that he had tried to pull Pinnock out of harm’s way of oncoming traffic, but she resisted by pushing him.
Pinnock had been off her medication for several months when the incident occurred.
[Image: AP]
During an interview with the Associated Press, Pinnock described her fear.” He grabbed me, he threw me down, he started beating me,” she said. “I felt like he was trying to kill me, beat me to death,” she said.
While straddling Pinnock, Andrew continued to punch her in the torso as she kicked and twisted her body. Multiple drivers had called 911 to report the woman walking barefoot along the highway, but Andrew clearly handled the situation wrongly.
The video quickly went viral on the internet and drove many into outrage, regarding Pinnock’s mental illness. Her attorney hoped for justice through the settlement. “One of the things we wanted to make sure of was that she was provided for in a manner that accommodated her unique situation in life,”Caree Harper said. “And that the officer was not going to be an officer anymore and we secured those things.”
The officer agreed to resign after all was resolved. The majority of the settlement will go into a special needs trust for Pinnock.