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Woman claims Philadelphia Police officer assaulted her inside her own home

Published  March 23, 2016 5:56pm EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Serious allegations against the Philadelphia Police Department.

A woman who works for the city says an officer assaulted her inside her own home.

Now civil rights leaders want some answers.

Fox 29's Sabina Kuriakose spoke with Commissioner Richard Ross outside headquarters. He says officers had a valid warrant and an internal investigation is underway.

"Bullies in blue."

Flanked by her 15 year old daughter, attorney Michael Coard and the President of the Philadelphia NAACP, 48 year old city social worker Nicole Newman took aim at the Philadelphia Police Department, claiming she was assaulted at her own southwest Philadelphia home by the men sworn to protect her.

"I've never had a problem with the police. I've worked with the police. I've had the utmost respect for their position and to go to your door and your whole mindset has to change in an instant because now they're snatching you out of your house; you're in a state of shock you're not believing this is happening."

Newman and her attorney say two weeks ago, two white detectives along with several uniformed officers came to her door with a warrant to arrest her son on a theft charge.

Newman says she told them he wasn't home and that when she refused to let police check inside her home without a search warrant, the detectives assaulted and arrested her. Her attorney believes race played a role.

"She gets dragged out of her own house she gets manhandled she gets handcuffed and then she gets taken to the police station."

"Demeaning. My neighbors watched this happen," Newman said.

Newman spent the night in jail and has been charged with disorderly conduct--something her attorney says is a trumped up allegation.

Meantime Police Commissioner Richard Ross says neither attorney Coard nor the NAACP came forward to him with the allegations before announcing Wednesday's press conference. He says charges against Newman were already downgraded. And an internal investigation is underway.