LDF Suit Asks North Carolina Sheriff to Pay $300,000 for Unjust Assault on Negro Woman

Press Release
December 22, 1966

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LDF Suit Asks North Carolina Sheriff to Pay $300,000 for Unjust Assault on Negro Woman preview

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- Press Releases
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- LDF
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- 2d178269-b792-ee11-be37-00224827e97b

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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 November 23, 2025.

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    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=

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LDF Suit Asks North Carolina Sheriff to Pay $300,000 for Unjust Assault on Negro Woman

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