City of Pineville police officer accused of violating couple's rights in wrongful arrest

PINEVILLE – A couple is suing the City of Pineville, its chief of police and an police officer they claim wrongfully arrested them.

Morris Haynes and Roshinik Haynes filed suit against City of Pineville, Police Chief Don Weatherford and Morgan Mixon in the 9th Judicial District Court on April 22.

Morris Haynes asserts that on April 27, 2014 he was driving in Pineville with his wife Roshinik Haynes in the car when they were pulled over by Mixon, a police office for the City of Pineville, for driving with a broken headlight. The plaintiffs claim that as soon as Morris Haynes saw the police officer engage her lights he pulled over into a service station and complied with her orders, however, the plaintiffs alleged Mixon immediately ordered Morris Haynes to exit the vehicle and arrested him without probable cause. Further, Roshinik Haynes alleges that when she inquired as to why her husband was being arrested she was also taken into custody at which point she tried to pull away from what the lawsuit states was an “illegal arrest” and was subsequently charged with battery of a police officer and resisting arrest.

The defendant is accused of civil rights abuses, abuse of process, false arrest and malicious prosecution.

An unspecified amount in damages is sought for mental anguish, anxiety, embarrassment, violation of civil rights, attorney’s fee for criminal defense and attorney’s fee and costs to have their arrest record expunged.

The Haynes are representing themselves pro se.

The case has been assigned to Division A Judge Donald T. Johnson.

Case no. 252,745.