Photo: greenleaf123 / iStock / Getty Images
William McNeil, a 22-year-old Black college student who was violently pulled from his car and beaten by officers during a traffic stop, is suing the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
On Wednesday (September 10), McNeil filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that Jacksonville officers violated his rights during the February traffic stop, which he says left him with a traumatic brain injury, facial injuries, and long-term emotional trauma, per HuffPost.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, names Officer D. Bowers, Officer D. Miller, Sheriff T.K. Waters, the City of Jacksonville, and Duval County as defendants, accusing them of excessive force, racial profiling, and failing to train and discipline officers appropriately.
“It’s an unjustifiable, unnecessary, and most importantly, unconstitutional use of force,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing McNeil alongside attorney Harry Daniels, said in a statement.
McNeil was pulled over on February 19 for allegedly failing to turn on his headlights and wear a seatbelt. Now-viral video shows McNeil questioning why he was stopped and asking to speak to a supervisor before Bowers smashed his window, pulled him from the vehicle, and punched him in the face.
Despite widespread backlash over the video, prosecutors declined to bring charges against the officers in August, stating that Bowers had issued “a dozen lawful commands” which McNeil ignored.
“This was police violence at its most blatant,” Crump said. “My client remained calm. It was the officers—trained to de-escalate—who did the opposite.”
McNeil’s injuries included a fractured tooth, cuts to his face, and a diagnosis of ongoing traumatic brain injury. He also experiences nightmares and flashbacks, consistent with PTSD, his attorneys said.
McNeil’s attorneys are also calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to open a civil rights investigation into what they describe as a pattern of excessive force and systemic failures in the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
“This lawsuit isn’t just about justice for William,” Crump said. “It’s about holding a system accountable that continues to brutalize Black bodies without consequence.”
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.
