Former teacher’s complaint against CMPD resolved 2 years after wrongful detainment

CHARLOTTE — A former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher is finally able to put one of the most traumatic days of her life behind her.

Two years ago, Jasmine Horne was wrongfully detained by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers.

On Friday, her legal team told Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz they’ve resolved the case with CMPD and Horne is ready for her next journey.

“I’m doing well. I’m doing better,” she told Sáenz.

PREVIOUS STORIES:

• CMPD announces changes more than 1 year after officers wrongfully detained CMS teacher
• Review board says CMS teacher was wrongfully detained by CMPD officers
• CMPD body cam video shows officers mistakenly handcuff CMS teacher at gunpoint
• ‘I was ambushed’: CMS teacher says CMPD mistook her for suspect, pointed gun at her

Horne said she’s happy to put this chapter behind her. Although she’s still dealing with the trauma from it, she said she’s learned lessons from what she went through.

“This year, I went through a lot of internal healing from the incident,” she said. “I just really wanted to take some time out for myself.”

In June 2021, Horne was arrested at gunpoint by CMPD officers in front of her west Charlotte home.

“Got anything in your shoes or anything? No weed, nothing like that?” an officer asked.

“I don’t smoke. I’m a school teacher. I don’t understand what’s going on,” she said.

But police had made a critical mistake: Officers were arresting the wrong woman, mistaking Horne for another suspect wanted for a violent crime with a similar name.

Horne pointed out the timing of the arrest, which happened about a year after George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer.

“During the time of the police incident, there were some challenges within the country when it came to police brutality,” Horne told Sáenz.

“I often question where I would be today if it were not for the incident?” she added.

Now, she’s trying her best to move on.

Since Horne’s detainment, CMPD has admitted officers acted on wrong information. Now, Horne and her attorney say they’ve resolved their complaint with the department and will not pursue legal action. They can’t go into details about the agreement but Horne is pleased.

“I feel like I came out on top -- in a spiritual sense and in a power sense,” she told Sáenz.

The former CMS teacher will fly abroad Saturday to travel and teach.

“I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to have a second chance at life and to look at life more differently,” she said.

She said she still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from that day two years ago, and she hopes the arresting officers learn from it all, too.

“People may forgive but they don’t forget, and I hope they will be more careful about their decisions when they pull people over -- and if they could not see themselves, maybe their family members in the people that they encounter on a day-to-day basis,” Horne said.

Horne said traveling and teaching abroad is also part of her healing journey. But she said she feels validated that this is all resolved.

She said one thing she’s gotten from the whole situation is a stronger voice.

“This incident has taught me to be aware and to stand up for myself,” she said.

CMPD did not discipline the officers who arrested Horne because the department said they acted within its policies. However, CMPD did make a number of changes to the way it submits and reviews names and information in its license plate reader system.

We reached out to the City of Charlotte for comment but so far, they haven’t responded.

(WATCH PREVIOUS: Review board rules in favor of teacher who says she was wrongfully detained by CMPD officers)

Review board rules in favor of teacher who says she was wrongfully detained by CMPD officers

©2023 Cox Media Group