Elaine McAlister, a 31-year-old Black nurse and mother, is suing Kansas City Airport police after she was wrongfully arrested and jailed for four days in a case of mistaken identity.
The lawsuit, filed on January 31 in Platte County, Missouri, accuses officers Kyle Greenwalt and Matthew Zils of false arrest, racial discrimination, and harassment.
The city of Kansas City, which oversees the airport, is also named as a defendant.
The incident occurred on October 14, 2023, when McAlister arrived at Kansas City International Airport to board a flight to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for a vacation.
Instead of embarking on her trip, she was handcuffed and arrested based on a warrant for a misdemeanor marijuana charge in Johnson County, Kansas. The warrant was issued after another Black woman, who had stolen McAlister’s identity, failed to appear in court following an August 2023 arrest.
Despite McAlister’s protests and her friend’s attempts to point out the discrepancies between her and the suspect’s appearance, officers proceeded with the arrest.
McAlister was transported to Platte County Jail, where she spent four nights before being released on October 18, 2023, after a jail employee noticed her lack of tattoos, which the actual suspect had.
Invalid Warrant and Racial Profiling Allegations
The lawsuit highlights several critical errors in McAlister’s arrest. First, the warrant used to detain her was invalid because it was issued in Kansas, while the arrest occurred in Missouri. Missouri law prohibits warrantless arrests for fugitives accused of misdemeanors, allowing such arrests only for felonies punishable by more than one year in prison.
Additionally, the arresting officers had access to a booking photo of the actual suspect, which McAlister’s lawyers argue bore no resemblance to her beyond both being Black women. The suspect also had multiple tattoos, which McAlister lacks—a detail officers allegedly ignored.
“It is obvious to any reasonable person, let alone a law enforcement officer, that the person in the Johnson County, Kansas booking photograph has no similarity to Plaintiff other than also appearing to be a Black/African-American female,” the lawsuit states.
Emotional Distress and Broader Implications
McAlister’s ordeal has left her with significant emotional distress, including anxiety, fear, and humiliation. Her lawsuit seeks damages for false arrest, false imprisonment, and racial discrimination, citing the broader pattern of Black individuals being wrongfully arrested based on vague descriptions or minor similarities.
Friends and supporters have rallied around McAlister, describing her as a law-abiding citizen and dedicated nurse.
“Elaine is one of the kindest people I know,” said Victoria McDaniel in a Facebook post. “She’s a loving mother and a hardworking nurse. This should never have happened.”
The case underscores ongoing concerns about racial profiling and the disproportionate impact of mistaken identity arrests on Black communities. McAlister’s lawsuit aims to hold the officers and the city accountable while shedding light on systemic issues within law enforcement practices.
As the case moves forward, McAlister’s legal team at Holman Schiavone LLC hopes to secure justice for their client and set a precedent to prevent similar incidents in the future.
