Adam Murphy Updated 17 hrs ago | Posted on Jul 26, 2019
ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) -- A transgender woman is suing the city of Atlanta after she said she was falsely arrested and thrown in jail for months.
It’s not easy for Ju’zema Goldring to relive the night she was arrested along Piedmont Road for the first time.
“When they first stopped me, I was asking them why they were stopping me and then I feel like the third time I asked he was like oh because you jaywalked. And I was like when and where did I jaywalk?” Goldring said.
One thing led to another and she was charged with trafficking cocaine which police said was in a stress ball she was carrying with her.
“I was just confused; and I know I don’t do drugs, so it was like a scary feeling,” Goldring said.
Goldring spent nearly 6 months in the Fulton County jail and at times she said she was even put in solitary confinement. Her attorney, Zack Greenamyre, said she is innocent.
“There’s no offense of jaywalking at that particular intersection, based on state law,” Attorney Zack Greenamyre said.
Greenamyre said Goldring was falsely arrested because she never jaywalked and GBI lab results proved there were no drugs found in the stress ball.
“Unfortunately, charges were not dropped even when the GBI test results came back. It took another 4 ½ to 5 months for charges to be dropped,” Greenamyre said.
She was eventually released from jail and now suing the city claiming she was targeted because she is transgender.
“The only people who get arrested in the city of Atlanta for jaywalking are people like our client who are transgender, people who are homeless, people who the city doesn’t want to see on the streets. Anyone else, not getting arrested for jaywalking,” Greenamyre said.
“I would say to them right is right and wrong is wrong,” Goldring said.
The city of Atlanta released the following statement regarding the incident and pending lawsuit:
The city remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring dignity and justice for the transgender community. However, we do contest the version of the facts contained in the press release and would ask the public to wait on the court's determination in this matter.
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