Deaf Black Woman Wins $1.2M Settlement After Violent Arrest by Las Vegas Police
Andrea “Dre” Hollingsworth, a deaf Black woman from North Las Vegas, Nevada, has been awarded a $1.2 million settlement after a violent 2021 encounter with police in which an officer pulled her from her car and slammed her to the ground in front of her two terrified daughters.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, the confrontation unfolded after Officer Michael Rose accused Hollingsworth of failing to follow commands during a police investigation, even though she repeatedly tried to signal that she could not hear him.
Hollingsworth, who was born deaf, primarily communicates through American Sign Language, lip reading, and written communication.
But during the April 7, 2021 encounter, Rose was wearing a neck gaiter covering his mouth because of COVID 19 precautions, making lip reading impossible.
According to the lawsuit and body camera footage later reviewed in court, the officer also refused to communicate with her through writing despite her attempts to do so.
Body Camera Video Shows Escalating Encounter
Police were dispatched that evening after a woman accused Hollingsworth of stalking her.
However, Hollingsworth’s daughters explained to officers that the family had only gone to collect $200 in rent that the woman allegedly owed them after they moved out of her apartment.
Hollingsworth and her daughters were sitting in their car waiting for a friend when Rose approached the vehicle.
Body camera video shows Hollingsworth repeatedly trying to communicate that she could not hear the officer.
“I can’t hear,” she attempted to tell him while pointing to her ears. Instead of adjusting his approach, Rose continued issuing verbal commands.
The officer demanded she sit down on the curb before he would explain why she was being questioned.
But Hollingsworth, unable to hear him and unable to read his lips because of the face covering, appeared confused.
“Sit down or I will sit you down,” Rose told her.
Moments later he forcibly pulled her from the car.
Arrested in Front of Her Children
The confrontation escalated quickly as the officer forced Hollingsworth to the ground and placed his knee on her back while handcuffing her.
Her 11 year old twin daughters watched in horror and began crying as the officer restrained their mother.
According to the federal lawsuit filed later that year, the officer’s actions traumatized the children and turned what should have been a routine conversation into a violent encounter.
“Defendant Rose violently forced Ms. Hollingsworth from her car for her so called non compliance, shoved her to the ground, and twisted and cuffed her hands, her primary means of communication, behind her back while her daughters watched in horror and cried for him to stop,” the lawsuit states.
Because Hollingsworth communicates primarily through sign language, handcuffing her hands behind her back effectively eliminated her ability to communicate at all.
Officer Accused Her of “Not Listening”
Body camera footage shows the officer repeatedly accusing Hollingsworth of failing to follow instructions.
“One of you guys need to talk some sense into her,” Rose told her daughters as they cried.
After she was placed in handcuffs, Hollingsworth asked the officer a simple question.
“Why?” she asked.
“Why? Because you’re not listening,” Rose responded.
The exchange captured on video highlighted the central issue in the case: the officer’s refusal to recognize or accommodate Hollingsworth’s deafness.
The lawsuit also alleges Rose attempted to rely on Hollingsworth’s minor daughters to interpret his commands, a practice civil rights advocates say is both dangerous and inappropriate.
“Using minor children to facilitate communication is unacceptable, even during routine encounters,” said Brittany Shrader, director of legal services for the National Association of the Deaf. “Federal law requires meaningful access, and anything less puts lives and rights at risk.”
Police Claims Disputed by Video
Following the arrest, Rose told a supervisor over the radio that Hollingsworth had become physical with him during the encounter.
“She gets out her phone and starts filming and is overly dramatic,” Rose said, according to radio communications captured on video.
“And I say, ‘OK, that’s fine, I’m recording too but I need to get some information,’” he continued.
“She’s like, ‘nope,’ and pushes my hand but out of the car.”
However, body camera footage does not appear to show Hollingsworth becoming aggressive toward the officer. Despite the allegations, Hollingsworth was ultimately released without charges.
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Lawsuit Alleged Civil Rights and ADA Violations
Hollingsworth later filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of North Las Vegas, the police department and the officers involved.
The lawsuit alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment, as well as violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Attorneys argued that the officers failed to provide any effective means of communication and escalated a simple investigation into an unnecessary use of force.
“Defendants’ failure to provide Ms. Hollingsworth with any effective means of communication, and their insistence on using her minor children as interpreters, caused Ms. Hollingsworth to suffer physical and emotional harm, and her daughters to experience emotional distress,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit also argued that better training and policies could have prevented the encounter entirely.
“Ms. Hollingsworth’s constitutional harm would have been avoided if Defendant North Las Vegas had enacted adequate policies and or adequate training and supervision,” the claim states.
“No member of the public should be subjected to force and trauma because a police officer refuses to communicate with them.”
Settlement Reached After Four Year Legal Battle
The case was ultimately resolved through mediation after more than four years of litigation. The North Las Vegas City Council approved a $1.2 million settlement for Hollingsworth and her daughters.
The settlement also requires the police department to implement training on interacting with deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
Hollingsworth announced the victory in a message posted to social media after the agreement was finalized. “It’s overrrrr! 4.5 years fought,” she wrote. “NLVPD yall better never disrespect my Deaf and hard of hearing community again.”
Police Department Announces Training Changes
City officials say the police department has since implemented training programs designed to improve communication with deaf individuals.
“The training helps officers understand the unique communication needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community,” the City of North Las Vegas said in a statement. “Additionally, the North Las Vegas Police Department contracts with ASL Communications to send an American Sign Language interpreter to scenes when needed.”
Civil rights advocates say the case illustrates a broader issue involving law enforcement interactions with deaf individuals. “Deaf and hard of hearing people should not be subjected to violence, seizure, and indignity because police officers will not communicate with them,” attorney Maggie McLetchie said.
Advocates say Hollingsworth’s case underscores how quickly routine police encounters can escalate when officers fail to ensure communication access.
For Hollingsworth and her daughters, the settlement represents both accountability and a step toward preventing similar incidents in the future.
