Amara Harris, a recent graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, never thought she would miss her AirPods from high school and find herself in and out of court year after year over the long controversy that has ended with her $20 million civil rights lawsuit against hometown. It all started innocuously in 2019 at Naperville High School, when Harris stumbled after a pair of AirPods she saw mistakenly appeared to hers and were found under the impression they belonged to another student. Fast forward two weeks, and Harris was accused of theft by & ticketed by Naperville Police for taking off less than $50 in merchandise at Macy`s.
Harris then spent the next four years fighting approximately 50 court hearings to clear her name. She was not cleared from all charges in relation to the AirPods incident till August, 2023. But mentally and emotionally, it took a toll as she juggled the demands of working her case through the legal system while attending Spelman College in Atlanta.
Woman lost her AirPods and found out they were in jail at Rikers Island PIC.TWITTER.COM/OMGO2RSRU5
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) JULY 4, 2024
To combat what she said is a pattern of discriminatory policing against students of color, Harris filed a $20 million civil rights lawsuit for the city andits police department. The suit claims that police have a history of singling out minority students for minor offenses and accuses Officer Juan Leon the cop who ticketed her in 2016 along with Sgt. Jonathan W. Pope, an officer above him
“This wasn’t just concerning AirPods,” stressed Harris. Video of the arrest drew attention around the world, leading to many questioning if race played a role in Fields’ decision to slam her on the floor and drag her out. Bind upholding meetings are not by any stretch unique; instances justify savagery from cops at schools.
Harris’ legal troubles had her traveling from a suburb in Illinois to courtrooms in Atlanta where she juggled justice with academics. Years later and a graduate from Spelman College, Harris wants her case to highlight systemic issues so things can change.
Naperville, through its police department, has not commented publicly on the assertions in the lawsuit. And even as Harris continues to advocate, her goal will not waiver: To make sure that no student lacks access and faces the same injustices she did because of race or background.
