Teen convicted of felony in encounter with police
A 17-year-old boy accused of putting a police officer in a chokehold pleaded guilty to a felony charge and was sentenced to probation.
La'Dainian Fuller of Gastonia was 15 on Oct. 10, 2021, when he was riding a bicycle with his twin, Paden, and encountered a police officer on Airline Avenue in Gastonia, said Assistant District Attorney Bill Stevenson.
It was almost 7 p.m., and the Gastonia Honey Hunters were playing in the nearby FUSE stadium. Police had closed the road that La'Dainian and Paden were trying to use because there were plans to shoot off fireworks.
The boys encountered Gastonia Police Department Officer Judith Warlick, who told them the road was closed, Stevenson said.
Paden began arguing with Warlick, who told him that the boys could not ride down the closed road. Then, Paden picked up his bicycle, slammed it down, and began screaming at Warlick, Stevenson said.
She decided to detain him, and when she went to put her hands on him, he resisted, and she called for backup, Stevenson said.
Another police officer, Officer Joseph Talley, arrived and found Paden fighting with Warlick, Stevenson said in court. Talley tried to grab Paden from behind to pepper spray him, and La'Dainian came up behind Talley and caused Talley to pepper spray himself in the face, Stevenson said.
Then, La'Dainian put Talley in a chokehold, wrestling him to the ground, and Talley passed out, Stevenson said.
Warlick pinned Paden down and kicked La'Dainian in the head to break his hold on Talley, Stevenson said.
Eventually, another police officer arrived and broke the fight up, pepper spraying La'Dainian.
The boys were arrested, and Talley eventually received medical care for his injuries.
Paden was charged with assaulting a government official and resisting arrest, and while he was found capable of proceeding to trial after a psychological evaluation, prosecutors do not intend to transfer his case to adult court.
On Thursday, La'Dainian pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, assault by strangulation.
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge David Phillips sentenced him to 18 months of probation.
His defense attorney, Chrissy Clarke-Peckham, said that the situation has been "extremely shocking and traumatizing" for La'Dainian's family. La'Dainian, who has mental health problems and a learning disability, was trying to protect his brother, she said.
The boys' father, Marcel Fuller, said in a previous interview that his boys were just trying to get home using the route he taught them when they encountered Warlick.
"It's had a real bad impact on them. (Their trust in police) is just completely gone now," he said.
Fuller said Thursday that the situation has haunted him for the last two years.
"In my heart, I know he (pleaded guilty) just to stay out of jail," he said.
The boys' mother, Tangyika Brawley, said she was glad that La'Dainian accepted the plea deal, although she objected to Stevenson's characterization of what occurred.
"I definitely do feel like this was the best outcome," she said.
She still hopes to publicize the body camera footage of the encounter.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Teen convicted of felony in encounter with police
