Terrell Owens’ neighbor charged in ‘racist Karen’ incident

(NewsNation) — A woman has been charged after a confrontation with football star Terrell Owens in which she accused the former NFL superstar of harassing her. Many online deemed the encounter an example of a “racist Karen” unjustly attacking a Black man.

In the August incident, which was filmed by Owens, his neighbor accused him of speeding in the neighborhood, running a stop sign and nearly running her off the road. After Owens got out of the vehicle to speak with the woman, she called police to report him and told dispatchers she was being harassed.

The woman, identified in court records as Caitlin Davis, can be heard saying to Owens, “you’re a Black man approaching a white woman.”

Speaking Thursday on “CUOMO,” Owens said he was “overwhelmed” by what Davis said to him but wasn’t necessarily shocked.

“This is something we as Black people go through on an everyday basis,” Owens said. “Thankfully, now things are being exposed thanks to mobile devices and social media.”

Davis has been charged with a misdemeanor count of filing a false police report in Broward County, Florida. In a probable cause affidavit, the responding officer said Owens denied the allegations and he said he couldn’t have been speeding because he was traveling a short distance to the mailbox.

The report states there was no physical contact between the pair and that David did not have any witnesses or video to support her allegations.

Owens said he was satisfied that Davis has been charged and he wants to use his platform to help others who may be put in a similar situation.

“if the roles were reversed, they would be going to the fullest extent of the law to charge me,” Owens said. “It doesn’t matter what type of neighborhood you’re in. This is the reality of the life of a Black American.”

In another notable case, a New York woman was charged after calling the police to report a Black man who was bird watching in Central Park. Amy Cooper was publicly shamed and lost her job, though the charges were dropped after she completed a “therapeutic program” that included classes on racial bias.

After the incident National Geographic announced that Christian Cooper, the bird watcher, was getting his own show, “Extraordinary Birder.”