Expand / Collapse search
☰

Protesters renew calls for firing Lakeland detective accused of brutalizing woman during traffic stop

By
Published  March 25, 2025 6:39pm EDT
Lakeland
FOX 13 News

Lakeland protests after arrest in 2023

Carla Bayron reports.

The Brief

    • An activist group is calling for the firing of a Lakeland police detective who they said retaliated against and brutalized a woman during a traffic stop.
    • The initial incident happened back in December 2023 when Kieanna Garrett's boyfriend was pulled over.
    • Garrett claimed she was yanked out of the vehicle, punched in the face, and brutalized by Det. Dillon Cornn, which the police department has denied.

LAKELAND, Fla. - Community members and an activist group are calling for the firing of a detective from the Lakeland Police Department who they said retaliated against and brutalized a woman during a traffic stop.

The Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TAARPR) protested outside of Polk County Court in Bartow Tuesday morning.

READ: Woman hurt in accidental shooting while friend handled gun: LPD

The backstory:

The initial incident happened back in December 2023 when Kieanna Garrett's boyfriend was pulled over. During that traffic stop, Garrett claimed she was yanked out of the vehicle, punched in the face, and brutalized by Det. Dillon Cornn, which the police department has denied.

The other side:

They said an internal investigation found Cornn's actions were exonerated based on the evidence.

In a statement to FOX 13, a spokesperson wrote in part, "...Following the arrest, the defendant was examined by medical professionals at the station for a single small scrape.  She was cleared for transport to the Polk County Jail.  Had the defendant experienced the injuries claimed today, she would have required transport to a medical facility for treatment..."

Follow FOX 13 on YouTube

What they're saying:

"We're out here today to just call attention to this misconduct that keeps slipping through and flying under the radar of the court system and also to make sure there are consequences when people act wrongly," said V. Garcia, a member of TAARPR.

Dig deeper:

The next day, police executed a search warrant on Garrett's home where they found cannabis and charged her with drug-related charges. Garrett ended up losing her nursing license, so her supporters also want these charges dropped.

"She talks all the time about how much she loves nursing. It's her dream job," said Garcia. "This is somebody's livelihood. She's out here in a time when we need nurses more than ever."

Corrnn was also involved in the viral arrest of Antwan Glover in December 2022. Cell phone video shows one officer punching him in the back, then flipping him over and punching him in the chest and head. He was also tased. 

MORE: Lakeland approves plan to eliminate fatal, serious injury crashes by 2040

Glover was charged with battery and resisting with violence, but those charges were later dropped.

"We'll be out here every single time she has a court date supporting her. We'll be out here with our table and speaker and signs." said Garcia. "And we're hoping to get more and more people in that courtroom."

What's next:

Garrett's pretrial hearing on Tuesday morning was rescheduled to May.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered through an interview with V. Garcia. It also includes a statement from a the Lakeland Police Department. 

WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: 

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA:

LakelandCrime and Public Safety