LDF Suit Asks North Carolina Sheriff to Pay $300,000 for Unjust Assault on Negro Woman
Press Release
December 22, 1966

Cite this item
-
Press Releases, Volume 4. LDF Suit Asks North Carolina Sheriff to Pay $300,000 for Unjust Assault on Negro Woman, 1966. 2d178269-b792-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/5e74e1e6-dc45-4970-b145-c6572e4a4acf/ldf-suit-asks-north-carolina-sheriff-to-pay-300-000-for-unjust-assault-on-negro-woman. Accessed June 13, 2025.
Copied!
5 = President Hon. Francis E. Rivers Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg ANA PRESS RELEAS egal efense und NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. w Jeuts DeVere ie, 10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10019 * JUdson 6-8397 ee NIGHT NUMBER 212-749-8487 FOR RELEASE THURSDAY December 22, 1966 LDF SUIT ASKS NORTH CAROLINA SHSRIFF TO PAY $300,000 FOR UNJUST ASSAULT ON NEGRO WOMAN NEW BERN---The Legal Defense Fund filed a $300,000.00 damage suit this week against a former sheriff of Pamlico, North Carolina and two of his deputies in behalf of Madeline Pearsall. Madeline Pearsall is suing the sheriff and his two deputies for severely assaulting and wrongfully detaining her without any justifi- cation. The suit, filed in the U.S, District Court of North Carolina (New Bern Division), states that on Nevember 29, 1966, Robert Whorton, who was then the sheriff of Pamlico County, North Carolina, entered the home of Bertha Wright to see her husband. Unable to find her hus- band, the sheriff threatened to arrest her but left the house. The sheriff allegedly returned shortly thereafter with his two deputies and began to beat and strike Bertha Wright and her women guests including Madeline Pearsall. According to the complaint, the sheriff and his deputies "severely and savagely injured the plaintiff" with “blackjacks, pistols and rifles," After assaulting the women, the sheriff and his men left the home without making any attempt to secure medical aid for the injured but returned several days later and arrested them on the grounds of breach of the peace. According to the LDF attorneys, these above acts were committed “unlawfully, willfully, intentionally and with malice" and were "cal- culated to deprive the plaintiff" of her rights against unwarranted and arbitrary arrest and assault. The LDF suit is attempting to recover damages from the defendants for violating the plaintiff's constitutional rights by subjecting her to false arrests, assault and battery. The suit is asking for the sum of $100,000.00 for special and general damages, and the sum of $200,000.00 for punitive damages. The attorneys handling the case for LDF are Conrad 0. Pearson of Durham, N.C; Reginald L, Frazier of New Bern, N.C; Julius L. Chambers of Charlotte, N.C; and Director-Counsel Jack Greenberg and Michael Meltsner of the New York office. =30=