FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Police reform group Justice Forward Virginia and the Fairfax chapter of the NAACP are calling for justice for Juanisha Brooks, who was pulled over by Virginia State Police Trooper Robert G. Hindenlang on March 6 while driving home on the Capital Beltway.
A dashboard-camera video from Hindenlang’s car shows Brooks repeatedly asking why she was pulled over. Hindenlang only replies that if she steps outside her car, he will show her.
The video shows that when Brooks tells Hindenlang she doesn’t want to get out, the trooper unlocks the car door and pulls her out while she asks him to stop. The trooper then pushes Brooks up against the car and handcuffs her, in the video.
“It wasn't until the handcuffs were on that he said that he stopped me because my tail lights were off, that I was only two car distances behind the car in front of me, and that he said that I tried to flee him," Brooks told WUSA9. "Because I didn't stop immediately on the ramp and kept going, he said I was trying to flee."
Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano dismissed all charges against Brooks.
A Virginia ban on pulling people over for dark taillights went into effect on March 1. The change was aimed at avoiding the type of pretextual traffic stops that can cause unnecessary conflict.
Brooks, along with Andy Elders from the advocacy group Justice Forward Virginia, and Sean Perryman of the Fairfax chapter of the NAACP held a press conference Thursday discussing the incident, and calling for police accountability.
"Accountability means real consequences for police who break the law," Elders said.
Brooks said that her charges were expunged from her record by a judge at the Fairfax County Courthouse on Wednesday. But she added that even though those charges were expunged, she's still dealing with the emotional pain of the traffic stop.
"Although we are now in June, for me, every day is March 6," Brooks said. "One of the things I can't get back is my peace of mind."
Brooks called for Trooper Hindenlang to be fired because of his actions, and called for an investigation into his previous traffic stops. She also called on the Virginia attorney general and Gov. Ralph Northam to investigate Virginia State Police and the Fairfax division.
"My main message is that Black lives matter," Brooks said. "But Black livelihoods matter even more, and we have to protect that."