RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Yolanda Irving said the only thing she wanted was an apology.
“The only thing that I have been asking about. The only thing I’ve been asking them is just to apologize,” she stated.
It has been nearly two years after a no-knock police raid at Irving’s home led by fired Raleigh police detective Omar Abdullah.
In July, Abdullah was indicted by a Wake County Grand Jury after he was accused of planting fake heroin on a group of men.
“You’re raiding our home. You still never found anything. We don’t have anything. Then now we are at the deposition part, and you had me in a deposition for almost six hours,” explained Irving.
Irving said in November that she and her children went through depositions with the City of Raleigh attorneys.
“You’re asking me things 20 years prior. You’re making us feel like we are the criminals,” she said.
Last year, attorneys for Irving and two other families filed a federal civil rights lawsuit over the no-knock raid.
“They’re not compassionate about nothing. basically, it was just three black women in the so-called hood who just got raided,” said Irving.
The group representing the families, Emancipate NC, sent a letter to city leaders Tuesday.
They claim city used taxpayer money to hire private law firms along with city attorneys.
Emancipate NC claims those attorneys accused the mothers and their children of “criminal wrongdoings” and asked them about gang activity.
They also said the questions were “steeped in racial stereotypes” and the families are innocent victims in this case.
“I missed two days of work for y’all to degrade me and my kids,” said Irving.
A City of Raleigh spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday:
The City’s longstanding practice is to handle a lawsuit through the courts and not to issue media releases that might influence public opinion or prejudice the judicial process, including prejudicing potential jurors. The courts are the appropriate place to address matters involved in litigation and court procedures allow parties to raise issues directly to the court.
Like other municipalities, the City obtains excess insurance coverage that can apply when lawsuits are filed and can cover expenses like those related to attorney’s fees. The City has met the requirements for coverage in the Irving litigation and continues to meet its obligations under its insurance coverage, such as ensuring that individuals sued are appropriately represented by an attorney. Fifteen individuals and the City of Raleigh have been sued in this lawsuit.
We want a fair outcome for all parties involved in this litigation. Responding in kind will not promote justice; in fact, it would jeopardize fairness. Thus, we cannot comment on misrepresentations and material omissions that have been provided to you. Those will be addressed where appropriate in the courts.
