Dallas police filed a charge of felony criminal mischief against L'Daijohnique Lee, 24, for damaging the man's pickup truck after she was punched. DALLAS — The woman who was recently beaten by a man in a Deep Ellum parking lot has now also been charged in the case. Dallas police charged L'Daijohnique Lee, 24, Tuesday with felony criminal mischief for damaging the man's pickup truck after she was punched, police officials confirmed in a news conference. Deputy Chief Thomas Castro said Lee admitted to causing the damage, which was estimated to be just more than $3,000. In Texas, criminal mischief is a state jail felony if the damage costs $2,500 to $30,000. Lee's attorney, Lee Merritt, posted about the potential criminal mischief charge on Twitter: "A black woman alone in a dark parking lot is stalked, harassed and assaulted by a white male," Merritt posted. "He brandishes a gun, knocks away her phone when she tries to call for help – then beats her mercilessly with blows to the head. DPD just found a way to charge HER with a felony." "We understand that some people are upset," Castro said at the news conference. "It's not the intention of the Dallas Police Department to pick one side or the other. We simply had information that was provided to us on a criminal offense. We thoroughly investigated that offense. We took the action that was taken today." When asked about potential protests in response to the charge against Lee – her supporters protested last week after Shuffield was only initially charged with a misdemeanor – Castro said, "We hope that they do so peacefully." "We encourage people their First Amendment right, and afford them that right to protest," Castro said. In a statement, the Dallas County district attorney's office said it found out about the arrest warrant for Lee from the media and had no prior knowledge of the charge. "When and if charges reach the District Attorney's Office, we will take appropriate action," the statement said. Shuffield, 30, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawfully carrying a weapon. In the arrest affidavit for Shuffield, he said Lee broke his pickup truck's back windshield with a jump box, a charger for a car battery. The case has drawn widespread attention since a video was posted on Facebook of Lee being punched repeatedly. Investigators said it all started when Shuffield confronted Lee about blocking the parking lot exit with her car. A witness recorded video that showed the suspect pull out a gun before knocking Lee's cellphone from her hand and kicking it away. He then delivered a series of upper-cut punches and jabs to the woman’s face and head. Shuffield, according to his arrest affidavit, said he hit Lee out of self-defense because she hit him first. After the initial misdemeanor charge against Shuffield, police upgraded the charges to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, and unlawfully carrying a weapon. In Shuffield's case, Dallas police sent their filed charges to the district attorney's office, which will present the case to a grand jury. PROTESTS EXPECTED Days after Lee was punched multiple times and Shuffield was arrested, a small amount of protesters took to the streets of Deep Ellum. When WFAA reported that Lee would soon be facing a felony charge, Dominique Alexander, an activist and founder of the Next Generation Action Network, said more protests would come. On Twitter, Alexander said, "If this happens, we will shut down the Deep Ellum Arts Festival. #ENOUGHISENOUGH" The Deep Ellum Arts Festival draws thousands every year to its diverse neighborhood and closes around 8 city blocks nearby. An estimated 100 bands are scheduled to play, around 200 artists will be displaying work, and the festival will be celebrating its 25th anniversary. "Dallas Police always finds a way to make a victim a suspect," Dominique Alexander said. "I know that the community will be outraged, and the community will protest." "The leadership in Deep Ellum has not condemned racism and bigotry and violence against black women in their corridor." Stephen Millard, the founder of the Deep Ellum Arts Festival, said that the free event is all about inclusion, but added that it would be a shame if it were disrupted in any way. "This is a big year for us. 25 years in this iconic town has been wonderful," Millard said. "This is not a place for protest, this is a place of love. If people want to come and have a platform--then we'll work with them if they have something they want to express in a peaceful way."<doc-sep>Civil Rights Activists Threaten ‘Shutdown’ Of Deep Ellum Over Assault Case DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – A woman who was badly beaten in a Deep Ellum parking lot by a local bartender is recovering Friday morning. The victim – who CBS 11 News is not identifying – said she went to the hospital Thursday evening to be treated for her injuries. According to her attorney, Lee Merritt, she is recovering from post-concussion syndrome and cranial swelling. She said as she pulled into the parking lot at the corner of Elm and Crowdus Streets, she had blocked in another driver. The driver, Austin Shuffield, then got out and confronted her, holding a gun by his side. The confrontation was recorded on a cellphone by a bystander across the street. When the woman pulled out her phone to call 911, the man in the video can be seen slapping it out of her hand. She pushes him, and then he begins repeatedly punching her in the face – at least five times. According to the victim’s attorney, the woman said Shuffield called her “racial slurs” and made other “racist remarks.” Dallas police identified that man as Shuffield, charging him with aggravated assault, public intoxication and interfering with a 911 call. He was booked into the Dallas County Jail but posted bail overnight. Merritt said he is pursuing felony assault and hate crime charges against Shuffield. Shuffield was fired from his job as a bartender at the High and Tight Barbershop and Speakeasy. Braxton Martin, the shop’s owner, said what he saw in that video is horrific. “He was a very good employee. Somebody that never has anger or reached out in any way to hurt or be violent towards anyone,” Martin said. Other Deep Ellum business owners said Shuffield’s behavior is the last thing the neighborhood needs.<doc-sep>DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – The victim of a Deep Ellum assault now faces a charge of felony criminal mischief in connection to the case. The charge stems from damage, police said L’Daijohnique Lee, 24, made on her attacker — Austin Shuffield’s — truck. He told police after the altercation, Lee broke out his back windshield with a jump box. “She admitted to committing that offense that night,” said Deputy Chief Thomas Castro. The Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office said they found out late Tuesday afternoon, from media inquiries, that the Dallas Police Department issued a warrant for Lee’s arrest. “The District Attorney had no prior knowledge that an arrest warrant was issued. When and if charges reach the District Attorney’s Office, we will take appropriate action,” their statement read. Lee’s attorney, Lee Merritt told CBS 11 News, “She’s very angry that despite the context of her being the victim in a viscous assault, the Dallas police department are pursuing a charge against her anyway.” In Texas, criminal mischief is a state jail felony if the damage costs more than $1,500 to $30,000. Witnesses watched in horror as Shuffield attacked Lee last month. Lee told police it all started after she pulled into a parking lot near Elm and Crowdus Streets and blocked Shuffield in as he was trying to leave. That’s when Shuffield, 30, got out of his truck to ask her to move out of his way because she was blocking the parking lot exit. When he approached, a dispute followed, which witnesses saw and recorded. The video shows Shuffield and Lee in the heated argument. At one point, Shuffield pulls out what appears to be a gun and holds it behind his back. After more words are exchanged, he smacks Lee’s cell phone out of her hand as she was dialing 911. She reacts by punching him. Shuffield responds by reaching back, taking a boxer’s stance and punching Lee squarely in the jaw. The video shows Shuffield then hitting her violently four more times in the face and head. Lee was crouched over, cradling her head as Shuffield beat her. Shuffield then kicks her cell phone violently on the ground. Police were called an arrested Shuffield for aggravated assault causing injury, interference with an emergency call and public intoxication.<doc-sep>
Screenshot : Dallas FOX 4 On March 21, a video surfaced in which bartender Austin Shuffield, 30, and L’Daijohnique Lee, 24, were involved in a heated dispute in Deep Ellum—a suburb in Dallas. Lee had been driving the wrong way, and in turn, was blocking the exit behind a barbershop and bar where Shuffield served drinks. Shuffield got out of his truck to confront Lee, and with gun in hand, attempted to intimidate her. An argument then ensued. F eeling clearly threatened, Lee attempted to call the police. That’s when Shuffield violently slapped her phone out of her hand and she reacted by striking him. In response, he unleashed a series of vicious blows to her face and head before forcefully kicking her phone. Upon the arrival of police officers, an intoxicated Shuffield was apprehended and charged with public intoxication, assault causing bodily injury, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and interference with an emergency call. He was also fired from his job. Photo : 21 CBS DFW “It’s horrific what happened in the video itself,” Braxton Martin, the owner of High and Tight Barbershop where Shuffield worked, told ABC 7 Dallas. So with Lee’s assailant behind bars, this all too familiar story ends exactly how it’s supposed to, right? Not exactly. Because on Tuesday, Lee learned that she too was being charged—for felony criminal mischief. After she was viciously attacked, she retaliated by breaking out the back windshield of Shuffield’s truck with a jump box. And in Texas, criminal mischief is a state jail felony if the damage exceeds $1,500 to $30,000. “She admitted to committing that offense that night,” Deputy Chief Thomas Castro told CBS 11. The Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office issued a statement in response, noting that they learned via media inquiries that the Dallas Police Department issued a warrant for Lee’s arrest. “The District Attorney had no prior knowledge that an arrest warrant was issued. When and if charges reach the District Attorney’s Office, we will take appropriate action,” their statement read. “A black woman alone in a dark parking lot is stalked, harassed and assaulted by a white male,” Lee’s attorney, Lee Merritt, tweeted on Tuesday. “He brandishes a gun, knocks away her phone when she tries to call for help— then beats her mercilessly with blows to the head. DPD just found a way to charge HER with a felony.” America, ladies and gentlemen. So what do the police have to say in defending their decision to pursue charges? “We understand that some people are upset,” Castro said in his news conference. “It’s not the intention of the Dallas Police Department to pick one side or the other. We simply had information that was provided to us on a criminal offense. We thoroughly investigated that offense. We took the action that was taken today.” But the police aren’t the only ones prepared to take action, as Deep Ellum activist Dominique Alexander, founder of the social justice initiative Next Generation Action Network, took to Twitter to issue a warning. “If this happens we will shut down Deep Ellum Arts Festival,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “#ENOUGHIsEnough” The Deep Ellum Arts Festival, which kicks off April 5, will be celebrating its 25 anniversary this year. The massive family friendly, three-day event will feature over 200 artists, over 100 bands, and draws thousands annually. It will also be the site of relentless protests should the charges against Lee remain. “Dallas Police always finds a way to make a victim a suspect,” Dominique Alexander said. “I know that the community will be outraged, and the community will protest. The leadership in Deep Ellum has not condemned racism and bigotry and violence against black women in their corridor.” But the police sound equally prepared for whatever goes down. “We encourage people use their First Amendment right, and afford them that right to protest,” Castro said.