Above is the limited video footage provided by the prosecution displaying police brutality by Former Correctional Officer Christian Studdard and multiple MILLER COUNTY Jail staff.
Demario Lashun Hankins was originally brought in the MILLER COUNTY Jail on May 6th, 2022 by Arkansas State Trooper Dale Young for alleged minor traffic infraction charges to which he was never charged with by any means (in District Court or Circuit Court). Trooper Young brought Demario across state lines from Texas to Arkansas without allowing Demario the opportunity to see a Texas Magistrate. Additionally, due process was violated when the traffic court/District Court of Miller County never allowed Demario the opportunity to go to trial in the traffic court and/or face his accuser in traffic court for the alleged crimes Trooper Young brought Demario to Miller County Jail for in the first place. Once the former Correctional Officer Studdard used excessive force on Demario (by pepper spraying him in the face multiple times and shortly after physically assaulting him), the District Court of Miller County; to include Judge Thomas A. Potter, Prosecutor David Cotten, Deputy Joshua Pendergrass, et al wiped the traffic court issues under the rug as if that was not where the original civil rights violations and corruption began in the first place. After the incident with Studdard, Demario was placed in solitary confinement, despite his request and need for medical attention for 18 days. All communications were cut off and Demario did not have the opportunity to speak with legal counsel, family or friends.
Trooper Young performed an illegal and extended pretextual stop absent probable cause a crime was committed.
The video evidence above is of Demario being assaulted by Correctional Officer Studdard, Studdard’s conflicting statement (below), and Deputy Pendergrass felony report (below) which all conflict with the limited video footage provided.
See below Correctional Officer Studdard’s false and misleading statement, which led to the malicious prosecution. Studdard’s statement contradicts the video footage above. Studdard has a history of using excessive force on inmates and falsifying documents which is likely why Studdard no longer works at MILLER COUNTY Jail as of December 2023. Studdard has a pending civil rights case against him in Mack v. Studdard Case #: 4:24-cv-04002 to where he pushed Inmate Malcolm Caldwell Mack down 16 flights of stairs and nearly broke his leg. Prosecution tried to pursue aggravated battery felony charges against Malcolm, but those charges were dropped because the video footage was clear on the excessive force Studdard used. Also in Hayes v. Henderson Case #: 4:19-cv-04054 Studdard was being sued for excessive force. This explains why Sheriff David Wayne Easley suppressed Studdard’s full personal files from being lodged into Demario’s case as exculpatory evidence.
See below the felony report written by Deputy Joshua Pendergrass based on Correctional Officer Studdard’s false and misleading statement. Deputy Pendergrass alleges Demario and Studdard disappeared from camera view, when there are cameras installed in every angle of the booking room, to include inside of the fingerprinting room. This is the reason why the prosecution only provided my defense at the time limited video footage at an angle that does not display how the initial altercation started. Studdard’s actions were all premediated.
Below are the alleged minor traffic infraction charges Trooper Young falsely arrested Demario for on May 6th, 2022, and brought him to MILLER COUNTY Jail, which subjected him to other civil rights violations that led to Correctional Officer Studdard pepper spraying Demario in the face for asking to speak with Studdard’s senior supervisor, the sheriff, et cetera regarding the fingerprint process for minor traffic infractions. These alleged traffic infractions never warranted fingerprinting in the first place as shown in Arkansas’ own law that jail staff violated amongst other laws and res judicata in Arkansas Annotated Code 12-12-1006: Arkansas Code § 12-12-1006 (2024) – Fingerprinting, DNA sample collection, and photographing :: 2024 Arkansas Code :: U.S. Codes and Statutes :: U.S. Law :: Justia
See below Miller County Detention Center’s Booking Procedures that Correctional Officer Studdard violated by pepper spraying Demario in the face multiple times as punishment, which immediately after incapacitated Demario causing temporary blindless, migraines, anxiety, fear, difficulty breathing, et cetera. Studdard and Miller County Jail staff were in complete disregard to Demario’s health, safety and well-being, as none of this was taken into consideration during booking that night. Studdard did not take Demario’s picture, did not attempt to take Demario back to the holding cell as Studdard is alleging in his statement, did not go over Demario’s medical history or any of that. Studdard ordered Demario directly to the fingerprinting room from the holding cell to collect fingerprints for traffic infraction charges to which Demario should have never been fingerprinted in the first place; and the prosecution shielded this corruption by further pursuing criminal charges against Demario to cover up Studdard’s actions.
Below is evidence of fraud upon the court and civil conspiracy to obstruct justice in the Discovery to Defense provided by Prosecutor David Cotten. Extreme fabrication. No Judicial hearing or verified Judicial signature appears in the discovery below. Marked up in red are just some of the violations showing abuses of process, due process violations, malicious prosecution, falsification of court records, forged signature of unidentified Judges, et cetera. I was not present or neither was an attorney or public defender appointed to me during the so called “RECORD OF FIRST JUDICIAL APPEARANCE”. I was actually locked up in solitary confinement for 18 days after this incident with no medical assessments after being assaulted by Correctional Officer Christian Studdard. Thomas A. Potter, along with David Cotten placed a bond of $150k on me making it nearly impossible to bond out. If you notice on the alleged “RECORD OF FIRST JUDICIAL APPEARANCE” and on Joshua Pendergrass felony report, the signature of the judge appears to be forged and there’s an unknown/unidentified judge that scribbled on both court records. Circuit Court Clerk Mary Pankey (retired now) and Prosecutor David Cotten orchestrated a scheme together and suppressed exculpatory evidence in my favor during all criminal proceedings in order to induce a felony on my record.
See below Former Correctional Officer Christian Studdard whom used excessive force on me May 6th, 2022. He has since been terminated as of December 2023 for using excessive force in Mack v. Studdard Case # 4:24-cv-04002, a pending federal lawsuit in the Western District of Arkansas.
See below Arkansas State Trooper Dale C. Young. Responsible for kidnapping me and transporting me across state lines from Texas to Arkansas for alleged minor traffic infractions as shown above.
See below current Sheriff David Wayne Easley whom suppressed Studdard’s personnel file from going into my criminal case to shield liability and hide exculpatory evidence in my favor.
See below District Court Judge Thomas A. Potter responsible for assigning excessive bail of $150k, falsified a “RECORD OF FIRST JUDICIAL APPEARANCE” that never happened and I had never seen, never appointed a public defender at any stage of proceedings, denied bond countless times, et cetera.
See below Prosecutor David Cotten was/is in conspiracy with Judge Thomas A. Potter in inducing the felony charge on me.
See below Deputy Joshua Pendergrass whom wrote up the felony report based on Studdard’s false and misleading statement shown above.
See below Warden Jeffie Walker, whom was/is in conspiracy with Sheriff David Wayne Easley in shielding Studdard from liability and suppressing Studdard’s personnel file.
