PORTLAND, Ore. — The assault trial of a Vancouver police officer began Thursday in Clark County. After jury selection, both the prosecution and the defense delivered their opening statements.
Officer Andrea Mendoza is accused of fourth-degree assault, which is a misdemeanor, for her use of a Taser against a shoplifting suspect in Walmart parking lot in May 2023.
Jurors selected Thursday will essentially have to determine whether the evidence shows Mendoza used too much force or was defending herself. After opening statements, the prosecution presented video of the arrest to jurors.
"This case is about the unlawful use of force. It's about the force that's necessary to effectuate an arrest, and it's about when that force crosses the line and crosses into an assault," the prosecution said.
The incident was captured on surveillance video from Walmart and on the officers' body camera and can be watched here. (Warning: the video contains graphic violence and graphic language; viewer discretion is advised.)
On May 21, officers responded to a call from a Walmart employee reportedly seeing two individuals, a man and a woman, take merchandise and leave the store without paying. Next, body camera footage and surveillance footage show officers attempting to arrest Elijah Guffey-Prejean, a man suspected of shoplifting.
Before officers could get the man in handcuffs, police said he punched one officer in the face and kicked the other in the chest. The officers managed to get him on the ground. That is when Mendoza used a Taser on Guffey-Prejean's back. Mendoza then pulled down his pants and threatened to do the same to his genitals.
"Knock it off, or I'll do it in your nuts," Mendoza can be heard saying in the body camera video.
Mendoza was placed on administrative leave and has been since a few days after the incident in July, when she was charged with assault. At the time, Vancouver Police Chief Jeff Mori called his officer's actions "disturbing."
On Thursday, Mendoza's defense argued that "the law allows police officers to use necessary force to arrest people and to defend themselves. And at the conclusion of this trial, I'll stand up here and ask you to find her not guilty based on her lawful use of force."
The Vancouver Police Guild president also stated Thursday via email that "we stand in support of Officer Mendoza."
Guffey-Prejean, who was placed in custody following the incident, is no longer facing charges.