Gentian Luca
Gentian Luca
Gentian Luca is a Police Officer at Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County.
He is from Katy, Texas which is located near Houston, Texas.
Controversy
Gentian Luca allegedly assaulted, handcuffed and arrested, mental health professional Earledreka White while she was talking to 911 dispatcher during a traffic stop. He also also threatened to use a Taser on Earledreka. [5]
Earledreka said "Being pulled over is not the troubling part - what happened after being pulled over is what baffles me," and "As I tell the dispatcher that this man is threatening to 'tase' me, he backs away, then comes back and literally tries to break my arm." [5]
White was jailed for two days after being charged with resisting arrest, a misdemeanor that could land her six months in jail.
She was released after posting a $1,000 bail.
[4]
Gentian Luca pulled over Earledreka White in March for crossing the double white line, and she called 911 to ask for police backup because she was afraid of the officer who stopped her.
She also disputed the claim and said that she had not crossed the double line.
[4]
She had said to the dispatcher “I would like another officer to come out here,” she says to the dispatcher.
“My heart is racing.
I’m really afraid.”
[4]
The Harris County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the charge against White and investigating the allegations raised by her and her attorneys, said Jeff McShan, the district attorney's spokesman.
[4]
Earldreka is being represented by Zack Feritta and his law partner Andino Reyal who took the case pro bono.
[4]
Lawyers for White said the charges against her should be dismissed.
[4]
"I'm as pro-law-enforcement as they come, but that's not good police conduct," Fertitta said.
"You can't escalate a situation and then claim someone is 'resisting arrest.' That's ridiculous."
[4]
Fertitta said he plans to take the case to trial if charges are not dropped.
[4]
Response
Officials with the Metropolitan Transit Authority police department said they investigated White's claim in April, including viewing the surveillance video, and found no wrongdoing by Gentian Luca.
[4]
"She was uncooperative but he did everything reasonable within the law," said Metro Police Chief Vera Bumpers.
"He explained what was going on, what the violation was and that he was focused on her safety, as well as his."
[4]
Houston NAACP President James Douglas, who watched an edited version of the video, said the officer was within his rights to ask White to get back in her car.
[4]
But, he said, if the officer immediately threatened to use a stun-gun to get her to comply, then the incident started off on the wrong foot.
[4]
"He got impatient," Douglas said.
"This is obviously a police officer who needs some training on how to de-escalate a situation.
And I would think it would be especially important in today's climate."
[4]
Officials with the Metropolitan Transit Authority police department said they investigated White's claim in April, including viewing the surveillance video, and found no wrongdoing.
[4]
"She was uncooperative but he did everything reasonable within the law," said Metro Police Chief Vera Bumpers.
"He explained what was going on, what the violation was and that he was focused on her safety, as well as his."
[4]