Police re–instate charges

Police on Bald Head Island have reinstated charges against a woman jailed for child abuse when she allowed her 12–year-old son to drive a golf cart.

Bald Head Island re–filed the charges three days after the arresting officer, James Hunter, was named in a federal civil lawsuit alleging assault, unlawful use of force and malicious prosecution brought by Julie Mall, a mother of two who was holidaying with her family at the island when she was arrested in July 2014.

Police maintained that Mall was drunk and hostile during the encounter and also charged her with resisting arrest and intoxication.

Though Mall was never breathalysised a charge of public intoxication was also re–filed by Bald Head Island police, as was the original charge of resisting arrest.

Attorney Charles Baldwin commented: “We are confident that the evidence and eyewitness testimonies will show our public safety officers acted appropriately to both enforce the law and respect the rights of Ms. Mall. Safety of our residents and visitors remains one of our top priorities.”

Baldwin declined to comment on whether there was any relationship between the filing of the federal suit last week and the reinstatement of misdemeanor charges against Mall.

“We’re going to let the legal process play out, and we feel good about our case,” Baldwin said.

Mall, whose only previous run-–in with the police was a speeding ticket 10 years ago, has maintained that she was wrong to allow her son to steer the golf cart because the legal age for operating one is 16 on the island, where passenger cars are prohibited.

But Mall has also maintained that police escalated the encounter far beyond what was necessary, repeatedly and wrongly accusing her and her husband of being drunk, bringing her two children to tears and manhandling her during the arrest.

“I was very surprised Bald Head Island decided to refile charges,” Mall said. “It hasn’t affected our position on moving forward on the federal case.”

“I was puzzled that Officer Hunter would dash to the magistrate’s office to refile the summons in this case immediately after being served with the summons in Mrs. Mall’s complaint,” said John Gresham, Mrs. Mall’s attorney.

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