United States🏛️ PoliticsProgressiveOverlooked by conservatives11 days ago
Video of Arkansas trooper punching 18-year-old draws calls for investigation
Footage has emerged showing an Arkansas state trooper, Moisses Arellano, physically assaulting an 18-year-old Black woman, Alisa Hackett, during a traffic stop. The incident occurred on August 1, 2026, on State Highway 18 near Manila. According to an Arkansas State Police report, Hackett was stopped for speeding and having improperly displayed hazard lights. She claimed she was returning home due to a broken window. Arellano cited several infractions, including not wearing a seatbelt, covering her license plate, and possessing an unopened alcoholic beverage. During the encounter, Arellano referred to Hackett as 'difficult' and called for assistance from another trooper, who suggested arresting her for prior alleged offenses. Arellano then subdued Hackett, delivering a punch to her face after she resisted commands. The video shows Hackett protesting the force used, and Arellano later warned her that further resistance could result in additional force. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has called for an investigation into the use of force.
A newly released video has captured a state trooper in Arkansas punching an 18-year-old Black woman in the face after a traffic stop, sparking outrage and calls for an investigation into the use of force. The incident occurred on August 1, 2026, along State Highway 18 near Manila, Arkansas. Alisa Hackett, 18, was stopped for speeding at 71 miles per hour in a 60-mile-per-hour zone, with the vehicle’s hazard lights on. According to an Arkansas State Police report, Hackett was also not wearing her seat belt, had her license plate covered, and had a sealed bottle of Tito’s whiskey in the front seat. During the stop, trooper Moisses Arellano questioned Hackett about the presence of the alcoholic beverage, noting she was under 21. She explained that she was returning home because her car’s window had broken. Despite this, Arellano described her as “being difficult” and called for assistance from another trooper. That officer reportedly informed Arellano that Hackett had been pulled over for similar reasons just days prior and had received a warning instead of an arrest. Arellano then decided to arrest Hackett, who is 5 feet 1 inches tall and weighs 118 pounds. Initially compliant, she began turning around and repeatedly asked what she had done. Arellano took her to the ground, stating in his report that he delivered a closed-fist strike to her left side of the face in an attempt to gain compliance. Hackett continued to resist by pulling her wrists away and refusing to roll over. Arellano pointed a stun gun at her midsection but did not discharge it. Eventually, she complied by placing her hands behind her back and was taken into custody. In the video, Hackett can be heard saying, “You cannot punch me in my face.” Arellano responded, “Who said? Who says?” before asserting, “Who said I can’t punch you in your face?” As he transported her to the back of his patrol car, Hackett yelled for help and called for her mother to be contacted by passing motorists. While in the back seat, Arellano warned, “If you resist, I can punch you, I can read you the policy,” according to the report. Hackett was later charged with several offenses including refusal to submit to arrest, possession of alcohol by a minor, speeding, failure to wear a seat belt, improper display of license tags, and an offense related to improper headlights. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump condemned the incident, urging Arkansas State Police to initiate a use-of-force investigation through its Office of Professional Standards. He emphasized the need for transparency, calling for the release of any previous use-of-force reports involving Arellano. “This trooper slammed an 18-year-old girl to the ground and punched her in the face,” Crump stated. “He wrote it down himself: a closed fist, because she would not roll onto her stomach.” Crump added that the department must explain how such actions constitute a reasonable response to a teenager during a routine traffic stop. “If you cannot handle a teenage girl without taking her to the ground, cursing at her, and punching her in the face, you should not be wearing a badge,” he said. On Monday, attorney Luther Sutter filed a civil rights lawsuit on Hackett’s behalf, alleging excessive force by Arellano. The case is ongoing, with further developments anticipated.
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An 18-year-old Black woman, Alisa Hackett, has filed a federal lawsuit against Arkansas State Police Trooper Moisses Arellano, alleging he assaulted her during a traffic stop in Mississippi County, Arkansas. According to the lawsuit, Hackett was unarmed and faced no immediate threat, having been pulled over for a minor traffic violation. The incident occurred on August 1, and Hackett claims Arellano struck her in the face after she questioned his actions and resisted being handcuffed. The trooper's use-of-force report, cited by CBS News and local outlet NEA Report, states that Arellano used a closed-fist strike to gain compliance after repeated commands for Hackett to roll over. Hackett was later booked on five charges related to the stop, including underage alcohol possession. Attorney Benjamin Crump represents Hackett and alleges that Arellano initiated a 'criminal process' to avoid accountability. The Arkansas State Police have not commented on the matter.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the incident as a racial justice issue, emphasizing the disproportionate use of force against a Black woman and highlighting systemic issues within law enforcement. It uses emotionally charged language ('slammed her to the ground,' 'punched her in the face') and quotes legal and人权
Why factuality (95): The article accurately reports the lawsuit filed by Alisa Hackett against Trooper Moisses Arellano, citing the use-of-force report that describes the trooper striking the woman in the face. It references the lawsuit's claims about the lack of threat and the justification for force, aligning with the
Why objectivity (70): The article presents the incident with a clear narrative supporting the plaintiff's perspective, including statements from the attorney. While it provides context, it leans toward portraying the trooper's actions negatively without presenting alternative viewpoints or official responses from the dep
NewsweekIndependentProgressiveFactual 93Objective 6511 days ago
An Arkansas state trooper, Moisses Arellano, was caught on video punching an 18-year-old woman, Alisa Hackett, during a traffic stop in August. The incident occurred after Hackett was pulled over for speeding and allegedly using hazard lights while carrying an open container of alcohol. According to footage and a subsequent federal lawsuit, Arellano physically restrained Hackett, forced her to the ground, and struck her in the face with a closed fist after she resisted being made to roll onto her stomach. Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Hackett, criticized the trooper’s conduct and demanded transparency from state authorities. Arellano admitted in his use-of-force report that the punch occurred after Hackett refused to comply with his orders.
Bias read (Progressive): The article presents the incident through the lens of excessive use of force by law enforcement, highlighting the victim's perspective and quoting a civil rights attorney who criticizes the trooper's actions. The framing emphasizes systemic issues within policing and supports the claim of misconduct
Why factuality (93): The article accurately describes the incident based on the video and the lawsuit, referencing the use-of-force report and the attorney's comments. It includes specific details such as the trooper's actions and the legal charges against the plaintiff, consistent with the primary source document. Howe
Why objectivity (65): The article maintains a strong advocacy tone for the plaintiff, quoting the attorney's statements and emphasizing the severity of the trooper's actions. While informative, it frames the story primarily from the perspective of the victim and her legal representative, lacking balance in presenting bot
CBS News (US)IndependentProgressiveFactual 85Objective 7512 days ago
Footage has emerged showing an Arkansas state trooper, Moisses Arellano, physically assaulting an 18-year-old Black woman, Alisa Hackett, during a traffic stop. The incident occurred on August 1, 2026, on State Highway 18 near Manila. According to an Arkansas State Police report, Hackett was stopped for speeding and having improperly displayed hazard lights. She claimed she was returning home due to a broken window. Arellano cited several infractions, including not wearing a seatbelt, covering her license plate, and possessing an unopened alcoholic beverage. During the encounter, Arellano referred to Hackett as 'difficult' and called for assistance from another trooper, who suggested arresting her for prior alleged offenses. Arellano then subdued Hackett, delivering a punch to her face after she resisted commands. The video shows Hackett protesting the force used, and Arellano later warned her that further resistance could result in additional force. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has called for an investigation into the use of force.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the incident as a racial justice issue, highlighting the disproportionate use of force against a Black woman. It emphasizes the potential for systemic racism in law enforcement practices and references a prominent civil rights attorney advocating for accountability. While the fact
Why factuality (85): The article provides detailed information based on an Arkansas State Police report and mentions specific details like the speed limit, the trooper's questions about the alcohol bottle, and the prior warning. It aligns with the cross-source consensus by presenting the sequence of events without signi
Why objectivity (75): The article presents the incident in a neutral tone but uses emotionally charged language such as 'drawing calls for investigation' and 'causing anger.' While it reports facts objectively, the emphasis on public reaction and the potential for investigation suggests some level of editorial framing.
CBS News (US)IndependentProgressiveFactual 80Objective 7012 days ago
A newly released video from Arkansas depicts a state trooper punching an 18-year-old Black woman during a traffic stop. The incident occurred when the trooper claimed the woman was resisting arrest, leading to her being forced to the ground. The footage has been widely shared and is described as potentially disturbing. The event highlights concerns about police conduct and racial tensions within law enforcement.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the incident as a clear case of excessive force by law enforcement against a Black individual, emphasizing the racial dimension and the potential systemic issues within policing. The focus on the trooper's actions and the victim's race suggests a left-leaning perspective, though a
Why factuality (80): This article confirms the core facts of the incident as reported by CBS News (index 0) and adds the detail about the trooper claiming the woman was resisting arrest. It aligns with the cross-source consensus but lacks specific details like the speed limit and the prior warning, making it slightly le
Why objectivity (70): The article uses strong language such as 'punching Black woman' and includes a warning that the video may be disturbing, which leans into emotional framing. While it reports the facts, the choice of wording and the inclusion of the warning suggest a more sensational approach compared to the first ar
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