Black Ranchers Arrested After Years Of Harassment From White Neighbors [Video]

Black ranchers who have documented the racial harassment they’ve endured were arrested Monday by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

For months, married couple Courtney and Nicole Mallery, who own acres of land in east El Paso County in Colorado, have documented the discrimination they’ve faced from white neighbors. They were thrust into the spotlight in January when a story published by the Ark Republic highlighted how their animals were brutally killed and racists vandalized their property while the Sheriff’s Office has seemingly turned a blind eye. However, with the Mallery’s Monday arrest, it appears law enforcement has picked a side.

The Mallerys have a restraining order against neighbors Teresa and Bonnie Clark for harassing them. The Clarks have a protective order against the Clarks. However, according to the arrest documents, Deputy Sergeant Emery Gerhart says it was the Mallery’s that frequently bothered their neighbors. Gerhart claims a video shows Nicole stopping her car in front of the Clark property. She then exits and places her hands in the air saying, “Hands up, don’t shoot.” In another event, Nicole is seen on video using a loudspeaker to address Clark, insinuating that she that she should get ready “for Heaven.” Probably the most damning evidence against the Black couple was “unusual wiring coming from one of the transformers on one of the power poles.” The South East Power Company Association confirmed the power hook-up was not conducted by them.

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Courtney and Nicole Mallery were charged with stalking, and Courtney was hit with a theft charge for allegedly stealing the Clark’s trash can. They’ve both since been released, thanks to help from the Rocky Mountain NAACP. Now, the Sheriff’s Office has been inundated with calls to drop all charges against the Mallery’s, who have been vocal about the threats they’ve received from the Clarks and other white people in the area.