A recent incident involving Florida deputies has ignited widespread outrage after a video surfaced showing the violent arrest of William McNeil Jr., a 22-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop. The video displays deputies breaking McNeil's car window, punching him, and forcibly dragging him from his vehicle. Civil rights lawyers have alleged that authorities fabricated the details in the arrest report.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters has argued that the viral cellphone footage fails to provide a complete view of the incident. He cautioned against quickly drawing conclusions from the video, suggesting that it does not capture the complete context of the situation. McNeil's attorneys contend that the footage clearly demonstrates police brutality, with McNeil appearing non-resistant and compliant as he questioned the reason for being pulled over.
According to McNeil's lawyers, he was accused of driving without his headlights on during daylight hours. The cellphone footage shows him with his hands raised, asking the deputies for clarification. They noted that McNeil's request to speak to a supervisor was met with aggression rather than a dialogue, emphasizing the larger implications of such encounters for Black Americans. Notable civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing McNeil, highlighted that the incident underscores how basic rights can result in undue violence.
Sheriff Waters asserts that the released cellphone footage does not comprehensively capture surrounding events leading to McNeil's arrest. He emphasized that cameras have limitations and cannot convey the full scope of interactions or the situational knowledge of those involved. A major point of contention in the police report pertains to claims that McNeil was reaching for a knife located near the floorboard of his car. The arresting officer, D. Bowers, stated that McNeil appeared to be attempting to flee and failed to comply with commands to place his hands behind his back.
Interestingly, the report does not mention the punches thrown during the arrest. In contrast, a second officer described applying physical force by knocking McNeil to the ground. Following this, the officer reported delivering six closed-fist strikes to McNeil's thigh, which reportedly ended his resistance.
McNeil's defense lawyers have vehemently denied the claims made in Officer Bowers' report, deeming them a "fabrication." They assert that their client never reached for anything and remained calm and compliant throughout the ordeal. They accuse law enforcement of ignoring critical details in their reports, including the violent actions taken against McNeil.
McNeil has been charged with resisting a police officer without violence, driving with a suspended license, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He eventually pleaded guilty to the charges related to resisting police and driving with a suspended license. Sheriff Waters mentioned that the sheriff’s office had only recently become aware of the cellphone video circulating on social media, prompting investigations to begin. Following inquiries by the State Attorney’s Office, it was determined that no criminal laws had been violated by the officers. However, an ongoing administrative review will assess whether any department policies were breached during the arrest.
