COPS have released bodycam footage following the arrest of a 22-year-old man in Florida – during which an officer smashed a car window and punched the driver.
A shocking video taken of the arrest by driver William McNeil Jr showed the cop breaking the window, hitting him and dragging him to the ground in Jacksonville.
A shocking video posted to social media shows the arrest[/caption]
The new bodycam footage released shows the 22-year-old had been pulled over[/caption]
He refuses to get out of his car when asked to by the officer and locks the door[/caption]
The cop calls for backup and repeatedly threatens to break the window before doing so[/caption]
But the sheriff’s office says a state prosecutor has found no misconduct by the cops involved – although an internal review is also in process.
The new bodycam footage released shows the 22-year-old had been pulled over for reportedly not having his headlights on or wearing a seatbelt.
He refuses to get out of his car when asked to by the officer and locks the door.
“It’s daylight, I don’t need the lights,” he says.
The cop then proceeds to smash the window after warning him for three minutes to exit the vehicle.
Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters said: “The State Attorney’s Office has determined that none of the involved officers violated criminal law, even though the administrative review has yet to be completed.”
However, he added that one officer had been suspended pending a review.
“A person must comply with an officer’s commands, even if that person disagrees with that officer’s reasons for the stop,” the sheriff added.
According to a police report obtained by ABC News, McNeil was pulled over by cops at 4.15pm local time on February 19 this year.
Video shows him telling officers that he didn’t need to have his lights on as it wasn’t raining and asked to speak with a supervisor.
The cop calls for backup and repeatedly threatens to break the window before doing so.
The arrest claims: “The suspect was reaching for the floor board of the vehicle where a large knife was sitting.”
However, Sheriff Waters acknowledged at a news conference that it is unclear if this was true based on the videos, People has reported.
Footage posted by McNeil shows him with his hands up and visible as cops drag him out of the car.
He pleaded guilty to resisting a police officer without violence and driving with a suspended license, according to court records.
The 22-year-old was sentenced to two days in jail.
“McNeil was arrested and pled guilty to resisting a police officer without violence,” Sheriff Waters added.
“Force absolutely looks ugly, and because all force is ugly, whether or not the officer involved acted within outside JSO policy, that’s still what we’re investigating.”
In a social media video following the arrest, McNeil said he suffered a concussion and that his tooth was chipped and needed stitches to his mouth.
“This was very hard to do I’m not mentally healed from this but I had to get the word out eventually,” he posted in the video caption.
Harry Daniels, an attorney representing McNeil, told ABC News on Monday that the 22-year-old is now mulling legal action.
He told the broadcaster: “This officer broke his window and just punched him in his face. Mr. McNeil suffered very significant injury.
“We are planning to do everything we can do to secure justice.
“We are seeking all options to ensure accountability.”
