Tawanda’s Legal Counsel Fees
Donation protected
While working as an educator, Tawanda became an avid student of the criminal justice system, but as most of us have come to know, some things in life can only be learned through personal experience. Tawanda never imagined the journey she would be required to navigate.
On March 8, 2019, Tawanda received a frantic call from a loved one who had been involved in a two car collision. Tawanda quickly rushed to the scene, with the hope of finding her loved ones being handled with care by medical professionals and law enforcement. Unfortunately, what Tawanda found instead was a chaotic scene being caused in part by the aggressive manner of a sheriff’s deputy.
Due to injuries caused by the collision, Tawanda’s loved ones were in need of medical care, and were transported via ambulance to the nearest emergency room. As a result, Tawanda asked a medic on the scene if she could retrieve her loved ones personal items from their vehicle, with the hopes of securing their drivers licence and insurance card. After receiving permission and guidance on how to retrieve the items, Tawanda proceeded to enter the car, and as she exited the car, she was met with force by one of the sheriff’s deputies.
Tawanda was body slammed by the three sheriff’s deputies on the scene, arrested and charged with interfering with government operations, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and simply assault of a deputy. Amazingly, Tawanda remained calm as she endured excessive force and violence at the hands of the deputies, while navigating between fear and shock, as she tried to process the moment as it was happening. Tawanda assumed, because the deputies were wearing body cams, the footage would be reviewed and the charges would immediately be dropped.
Tawanda’s legal counsel has worked diligently to get the case resolved but have been met with constant stonewalling and retaliation. On September 6, 2019, Tawanda filed paperwork with the County to notify them of her intent to sue due to excessive force, which set off a series of alarms and actions within the sheriff’s department.
On October 3, 2019, Tawanda’s legal counsel filed a motion for discovery to obtain access to the deputy’s body cam. Unbeknownst to Tawanda or her legal counsel, on October 4, 2019, a new warrant was issued for Tawanda’s arrest; upgrading her misdemeanor simple assault charge to felony assault. As Tawanda was leaving her home on October 5, 2019, merging into traffic, she lightly tapped the bumper of the vehicle in front of her, causing no injuries. Tawanda quickly apologized and called 911.
Once law enforcement arrived, and ran Tawanda’s information, she was apprehended due to the new warrant.
I know you may be saying, “My goodness, Tawanda just needs to stay at home. She is safer there.” Tawanda has thought the same. She has often had to find strength in laughing to keep from crying, because we all can agree, this has been no laughing matter.
After over 17 months of court dates and reschedulings, Tawanda’s preliminary hearing was finally conducted on August 5, 2020. To no one’s surprise, the deputy lied under oath, stating Tawanda struck her several times to justify the felony assault charge. The deputy DA corroborated the deputy’s lie by stating they were in possession of the deputy’s body cam and would immediately turn it over to Tawanda’s legal team. The judge granted the DA’s request to send the case over to the grand jury, which is where the decision will be made as to whether or not Tawanda will be tried for felony assault of the deputy. The judge also informed Tawanda that it could take years for her case to actually go to trial.
The preliminary hearing took place via Zoom. Shortly after the Zoom call ended, the deputy DA emailed Tawanda’s counsel to say they in fact were not in possession of the deputy’s body cam. To date, Tawanda’s legal counsel still has not received the body cam from the DA’s office and has now had to file a subpoena with the hope of gaining access to the footage.
This case has taken a toll on Tawanda financially, and has now begun to impact her livelihood. Tawanda was informed by the state department of education on September 1, 2020, that a background review had been initiated to begin an investigation of her teacher certification due to the felony assault charge.
Tawanda is thankful and grateful for the legal counsel and guidance she has received thus far, but after the recent chain of events, has an understandable urgency of wanting to see this matter resolved. With that being said, Tawanda will now need to seek new counsel, which will cause her to incur more legal fees. To obtain new counsel, Tawanda will need to pay a retainer fee of $5,000. If the case goes to trial, she will be required to pay a trial prep fee of $5000; and once the case goes to trial she will need to pay a trial fee of $5,000-$7500. This will only cover legal counsel for Tawanda’s pending criminal case; this does not reflect the cost required to secure an attorney for her civil case.
This is where we all come in, it will take Tawanda’s village to support her through this matter. Our heartfelt prayers, and words of encouragement have meant a lot to Tawanda, and at this time she is now needing our financial support. This request is not made lightly, and without a lot of contemplation of our current climate. We have seen our communities devastated by racism, whether it has been at the hands of police brutality or COVID-19. Our country is enduring an economic crisis that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression, which has resulted in the loss of jobs and homes for millions.
We know this is a lot to ask during this time. We ask that we all give what we can. If we all give what we can, it will be greatly appreciated in helping to reduce the financial cost and support Tawanda in obtaining the quality of counsel needed in seeking a just resolve to her case.
On March 8, 2019, Tawanda received a frantic call from a loved one who had been involved in a two car collision. Tawanda quickly rushed to the scene, with the hope of finding her loved ones being handled with care by medical professionals and law enforcement. Unfortunately, what Tawanda found instead was a chaotic scene being caused in part by the aggressive manner of a sheriff’s deputy.
Due to injuries caused by the collision, Tawanda’s loved ones were in need of medical care, and were transported via ambulance to the nearest emergency room. As a result, Tawanda asked a medic on the scene if she could retrieve her loved ones personal items from their vehicle, with the hopes of securing their drivers licence and insurance card. After receiving permission and guidance on how to retrieve the items, Tawanda proceeded to enter the car, and as she exited the car, she was met with force by one of the sheriff’s deputies.
Tawanda was body slammed by the three sheriff’s deputies on the scene, arrested and charged with interfering with government operations, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and simply assault of a deputy. Amazingly, Tawanda remained calm as she endured excessive force and violence at the hands of the deputies, while navigating between fear and shock, as she tried to process the moment as it was happening. Tawanda assumed, because the deputies were wearing body cams, the footage would be reviewed and the charges would immediately be dropped.
Tawanda’s legal counsel has worked diligently to get the case resolved but have been met with constant stonewalling and retaliation. On September 6, 2019, Tawanda filed paperwork with the County to notify them of her intent to sue due to excessive force, which set off a series of alarms and actions within the sheriff’s department.
On October 3, 2019, Tawanda’s legal counsel filed a motion for discovery to obtain access to the deputy’s body cam. Unbeknownst to Tawanda or her legal counsel, on October 4, 2019, a new warrant was issued for Tawanda’s arrest; upgrading her misdemeanor simple assault charge to felony assault. As Tawanda was leaving her home on October 5, 2019, merging into traffic, she lightly tapped the bumper of the vehicle in front of her, causing no injuries. Tawanda quickly apologized and called 911.
Once law enforcement arrived, and ran Tawanda’s information, she was apprehended due to the new warrant.
I know you may be saying, “My goodness, Tawanda just needs to stay at home. She is safer there.” Tawanda has thought the same. She has often had to find strength in laughing to keep from crying, because we all can agree, this has been no laughing matter.
After over 17 months of court dates and reschedulings, Tawanda’s preliminary hearing was finally conducted on August 5, 2020. To no one’s surprise, the deputy lied under oath, stating Tawanda struck her several times to justify the felony assault charge. The deputy DA corroborated the deputy’s lie by stating they were in possession of the deputy’s body cam and would immediately turn it over to Tawanda’s legal team. The judge granted the DA’s request to send the case over to the grand jury, which is where the decision will be made as to whether or not Tawanda will be tried for felony assault of the deputy. The judge also informed Tawanda that it could take years for her case to actually go to trial.
The preliminary hearing took place via Zoom. Shortly after the Zoom call ended, the deputy DA emailed Tawanda’s counsel to say they in fact were not in possession of the deputy’s body cam. To date, Tawanda’s legal counsel still has not received the body cam from the DA’s office and has now had to file a subpoena with the hope of gaining access to the footage.
This case has taken a toll on Tawanda financially, and has now begun to impact her livelihood. Tawanda was informed by the state department of education on September 1, 2020, that a background review had been initiated to begin an investigation of her teacher certification due to the felony assault charge.
Tawanda is thankful and grateful for the legal counsel and guidance she has received thus far, but after the recent chain of events, has an understandable urgency of wanting to see this matter resolved. With that being said, Tawanda will now need to seek new counsel, which will cause her to incur more legal fees. To obtain new counsel, Tawanda will need to pay a retainer fee of $5,000. If the case goes to trial, she will be required to pay a trial prep fee of $5000; and once the case goes to trial she will need to pay a trial fee of $5,000-$7500. This will only cover legal counsel for Tawanda’s pending criminal case; this does not reflect the cost required to secure an attorney for her civil case.
This is where we all come in, it will take Tawanda’s village to support her through this matter. Our heartfelt prayers, and words of encouragement have meant a lot to Tawanda, and at this time she is now needing our financial support. This request is not made lightly, and without a lot of contemplation of our current climate. We have seen our communities devastated by racism, whether it has been at the hands of police brutality or COVID-19. Our country is enduring an economic crisis that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression, which has resulted in the loss of jobs and homes for millions.
We know this is a lot to ask during this time. We ask that we all give what we can. If we all give what we can, it will be greatly appreciated in helping to reduce the financial cost and support Tawanda in obtaining the quality of counsel needed in seeking a just resolve to her case.
Organizer and beneficiary
Shakera Dotch
Organizer
Marietta, GA
Tawanda Morgan
Beneficiary