Woman faces charges after confrontation with police
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A Hill District woman who claims a city police officer pointed a gun at her children during a traffic stop turned herself in to police last night on charges related to the encounter.
Pamela Lawton showed up at the Municipal Courts Building at 7 p.m.
She was not alone.
Nearly 70 people, including representatives of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network and an array of grass-roots activists came to support Ms. Lawton, decrying her case as an injustice that should not happen to anyone.
Through a bull-horn, there was prayer and poetry outside before Ms. Lawton, with her attorney, Joseph K. Williams, walked into the court building and went to the third floor to turn herself in on disorderly conduct charges.
The crowd remained orderly throughout the process.
Later there were hugs and kisses for Ms. Lawton, who left the building visibly shaken and crying. She did not make any public comment.
Since the Aug. 26 incident in Shadyside, support for Ms. Lawton has been growing through e-mails, church sermons and word of mouth, largely fanned by "One Hood Coalition," a group of anti-violence activists and religious leaders.
A copy of the police report was not available last night.
But according to Ms. Lawton's attorney, police Officer Eric Tatusko, of the Squirrel Hill station, pulled her car over for not having an inspection sticker.
In the report, according to the attorney, Officer Tatusko said that he pulled his gun because he thought Ms. Lawton told him she was an officer and he thought she was hiding a gun in her small purse.
Ms. Lawton works at Shuman Juvenile Detention Center.
In testimony before the Citizens Police Review Board, Ms. Lawton said the officer pointed the gun at her children and threatened them.
Ms. Lawton filed a complaint with the Review Board, which is investigating the allegations against Officer Tatusko.
Ms. Lawton has a hearing scheduled for Oct. 25 on the charges.
Correction/Clarification: (Published Oct. 18, 2006) Pamela Lawton has a valid driver's license. She paid fines Friday, Oct. 13, 2006, for driving with expired registration stickers on her windshield and license plate, but she was not charged with driving without a valid license, as this story as originally published on Oct. 14, 2006 incorrectly said.
First Published October 14, 2006 12:00 am
