A twenty-four-year old Ladyville woman was allegedly struck by a Ladyville police officer on June 5, 2010, and today the alleged victim, a mother of a two-year-old child, Lattania Choc, not only has to deal with the painful wounds to her eye, but is also facing 10 charges brought by the said policeman.
Also facing charges is Choc’s sister, Escelina Tulcey, and Choc’s common-law husband, Delvith Retreage, 31.
Choc is being charged with three counts of assaulting a police officer, obstruction, two counts of damage to property (police uniform shirt and police vehicle), threatening words, two counts of harm, and escape from lawful custody.
Tulcey is faced with nine charges. These are resisting arrest, harm, threatening words, obstruction of police officer, escape from unlawful custody, damage to property (police uniform shirt and police vehicle) and three counts of assaulting a police officer.
As for Choc’s common-law husband, he is faced with three charges – assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and using obscene language.
The long list of charges arose from an incident that occurred on June 5, 2010, in Ladyville.
The defendants were allegedly having a dispute with their neighbors over land issues. The neighbors then called the police, and when they arrived an altercation ensued between the police and the defendants.
During the altercation one of the officers allegedly punched Choc, causing severe wounds over her left eye.
This morning the accused trio appeared in Magistrate’s Court #3 before Magistrate Kathleen Lewis, who read the defendants’ long list of charges.
Lewis adjourned the matter until July 16, 2010.
As Choc made her way out of court, she was approached by members of the media. She explained how the incident unfolded.
“When the police arrived we presented our documents, and seeing that all was going smooth with the officers, the neighbor came and said that he wanted to complain that we were throwing stones – so that right there probably got the police all hyped.”
Choc says that the police then wanted to take her common-law husband, who had their two-year-old baby in his arms.
“They wanted to take him because he was walking away from them. They were struggling to take him while he had my daughter in his arms. While in the struggle, I wanted to get my baby from my boyfriend’s hands, but one of the three officers was holding me.”
Choc says that when she attempted to take her baby, one of the officers held on to her hands and then she felt a blow. “While he had my hand held I assume that my fingernail probably scratched him, and out of the blue I felt a blow. My face started to bleed.”
Choc says that the punch came from the same officer that had her hands held.
“I am scarred for life,” said Choc.