Defamation lawsuit against Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn dismissed

A defamation lawsuit against Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn was dismissed Tuesday.

The suit filed by Quamekia Shavers alleged she was pressured into an abortion following an intimate relationship with Penn. It further alleges she was later threatened to be charged with a crime if she kept contacting him.

Superior Court Judge Craig Croom granted a motion to dismiss the case with prejudice, which means under these charges it cannot be refiled. According to the ruling, emotional distress or defamation was not substantiated in the filing.

Attorney Michael Grace, who represents Penn, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shavers was also not immediately available for comment.