William McNeil Jr., a 22-year-old Black faculty pupil, has filed a federal lawsuit in search of a minimum of $200,000 in damages after a February 19 site visitors cease that he and his attorneys say turned violent.
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The lawsuit, filed Sept. 10 within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Center District of Florida – Jacksonville Division, names Officers D. Bowers and D. Miller, Sheriff T.Ok. Waters, and town of Jacksonville as defendants.
Allegations of Extreme Pressure
Based on ABC Information, the lawsuit claims the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace “enforces a coverage that enables its officers to make the most of unwarranted and extreme bodily power in opposition to a person who poses no instant menace,” and doesn’t require officers to report all cases of power.
McNeil mentioned throughout a press convention saying the swimsuit,
Based on court docket information cited by ABC Information, McNeil was pulled over for allegedly not having his headlights on whereas it was raining and later charged with resisting arrest with out violence, possessing beneath 20 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, not carrying a seatbelt, and failing to have headlights on in rain/fog/smoke.
As BOSSIP beforehand reported, McNeil recorded the encounter on his cellphone. The video exhibits him sitting behind the wheel along with his seat belt fixed, repeatedly asking for a supervisor, and refusing to exit his SUV. Moments later, in line with each retailers, Officer Bowers broke the motive force’s window and punched McNeil within the face whereas ordering him to point out his fingers.
The lawsuit states that McNeil suffered a fractured tooth, a lacerated chin and lip, and a closed head harm identified as an ongoing traumatic mind harm. Courtroom information present he finally pleaded responsible to resisting arrest with out violence and driving with a suspended license, serving two days in jail.
“Officer Bowers performed a lawful site visitors cease and gave McNeil 12 particular person lawful instructions, which McNeil refused to obey. Repeatedly requesting a supervisor and arguing the deserves of the site visitors cease didn’t absolve McNeil from following lawful orders.”
It additionally acknowledged that McNeil’s refusal to supply identification and exit the automobile “created a harmful state of affairs for all concerned.”
Based on ABC Information, the Jacksonville police union defended the officers in an August 13 Fb publish:
“If you enable due course of and thorough investigations to happen you get details and proof. Not feelings, agendas and politics being pushed by radical folks in our neighborhood and a few elected officers who felt like they needed to hear themselves communicate earlier than all of the details had been identified.”
Inner Evaluation and Federal Consideration
Sheriff T.Ok. Waters introduced on July 21 that an administrative evaluation is underway to find out if the deputies violated division coverage and that Officer Bowers was stripped of legislation enforcement authority pending the evaluation. The sheriff’s workplace has not mentioned whether or not different deputies had been positioned on go away.
NBC Information reviews that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace declined to touch upon pending litigation. ABC Information notes that town of Jacksonville and the U.S. Division of Justice haven’t responded to requests for remark.
What’s Subsequent
Based on the lawsuit, McNeil is in search of a jury trial and a minimum of $100,000 in compensatory damages, a minimum of $100,000 in punitive damages, plus attorneys’ charges and different prices.
“It’s not simply how violent and brutal these officers had been. It’s that they had been completely unapologetic as a result of they knew nobody was going to carry them accountable.”
Nationwide issues about police use of power, racial profiling, and accountability throughout site visitors stops proceed to floor on-line. This case is now awaiting each a federal civil rights evaluation and the end result of Jacksonville’s inner investigation.
