Woman in LAPD arrest video breaks silence; LAPD meets with community

TUJUNGA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The woman seen being slammed to the ground by LAPD officers in a video is speaking out as the LAPD met with concerned members of the Los Angeles community on Thursday.

Her contusions are healing but emotionally, Michelle Jordan says she is still in shock. What started as a stop for an alleged cellphone infraction escalated into controversy.

Surveillance video shows Jordan being slammed to the ground once. A minute after she is handcuffed, she was again slammed face first into the pavement.

According to Jordan, the officers say she was resisting arrest. She denied the accusation in an interview with Eyewitness News. This week, the City Attorney declined to charge Jordan, saying there was insufficient evidence.

Jordan's attorneys say they are planning a civil suit that will focus on the moments after she was handcuffed -- an interaction that riled a 22-year veteran officer, which attorneys declined to talk about.

"It didn't matter what I did or said I knew immediately it was wrong," she said.

She admits she argued and explained why.

"I told the officer I was on my way to pick up my grandmother from the hospital, and asked him to please let me go," she said.

The two officers are under investigation and their division commander has been transferred to a lower post. LAPD meantime is under fire for two other arrests -- a skateboarder who was hurt during a rough takedown, and a mother who died in custody after a struggle with officers.

Jordan's attorneys say in her case, it is too early to call for a federal probe. But they say the officers must be punished.

"Certainly they are entitled to some immunity because of their positions but at some point their acts become criminal they should be held accountable for those," said attorney Arthur Corona.

Jordan hopes the incident will be the last for the LAPD.

"I just really want this to never ever happen again to another person, there's just no way that this is justifiable, and I really hope that LAPD stops this from happening," Jordan said.

Jordan says she is not seeking any specific punishment against the two officers, but she does want assurance that all LAPD officers are properly trained.

Meanwhile, LAPD commanders met with community members Thursday evening to address concerns about the recent alleged use of force incidents.

"I know that one woman died, and I know there's no video released on that yet, but the other incidents that I saw, they did not look good, and so I was concerned," said Teresa Sitz, a Silverlake resident.

In situations like these, meeting with the community is some the LAPD doesn't mind doing.

"You gotta be up front with it and the community demands it and we respect that," said LAPD Capt. Bill Murphy.

The LAPD plans to hold similar community meetings in other divisions.

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