Socialites, here’s a not-so-surprising update from Jacksonville, Florida: a sheriff’s deputy who was recorded striking a motorist during a traffic stop won’t face any criminal charges. Prosecutors made this announcement on Wednesday, leaving many shaking their heads…
To recap, on February 19, at around 4:15 PM, a deputy pulled over 22-year-old William McNeil Jr., for allegedly driving without his headlights due to “inclement weather” and for not wearing his seatbelt. Footage from both a cellphone and body cameras captured the scene as deputies were seen using force on McNeil after he persistently questioned the stop and refused to leave his vehicle. McNeil expressed his fear, stating, “I was scared, frightened. I grew up being told that officers protect us, but that wasn’t the case.”
In their memo, the state attorney’s office described what looked like a punch to McNeil’s face as “a one-time, open-handed strike to McNeil’s face.” They argued that this move “had a legitimate tactical purpose — to get McNeil out of the SUV and to show his hands, which McNeil did after the strike.”
They also noted, “Officer Bowers’ second strike occurred during McNeil’s arrest and was in response to McNeil’s physical resistance to the arrest.”
After the incident, authorities claimwd they found marijuana in McNeil’s pocket, along with a large knife on the car floor and additional drug paraphernalia in the center console.
In the announcement about their findings, the memo stated, “The State Attorney’s Office has reviewed this matter to determine whether any of Officer [D.] Bowers’ actions constitute a crime. We conclude they do not.”
The memo continued, highlighting that “Officer Bowers conducted a lawful traffic stop and gave McNeil 12 individual lawful commands, which McNeil refused to obey.” It added that the motorist’s refusal to provide identification and comply with the officers created a precarious situation.
In response to the decision, McNeil’s attorneys, Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, expressed their disappointment and called for a federal investigation. They stated, “Frankly, we expected nothing less especially after Sheriff Waters announced their conclusions more than three weeks before the report was issued. Since they are unwilling to seek justice, we will have to request that the U.S. Department of Justice investigate this incident and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.”