Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Florida Prosecutor Declines Charges Against Deputy in Viral Jacksonville Traffic Stop

A State Attorney’s memo judged the open-handed strike lawful under Florida law, leaving the deputy under administrative review.

William McNeil Jr.'s attorney Ben Crump, center, speaks while showing a still from a police body cam video during a press conference Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
A police officer searches William McNeil Jr, 22, who is pinned on the ground after he was pulled over during a traffic stop, at an unidentified location, in Florida, U.S. February 19, 2025, in this screenshot obtained from a handout video. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS/File photo

Overview

  • The State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit concluded Officer D. Bowers’ actions during the Feb. 19 stop did not constitute a crime after reviewing body camera footage and related evidence.
  • Prosecutors described the visible blow to William McNeil’s face as a one-time, open-handed maneuver intended to secure his hands and reduce risk.
  • Sheriff T.K. Waters has stripped Bowers of his law-enforcement authority pending the outcome of an internal administrative review by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
  • Civil-rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels criticized the decision, highlighting that prosecutors did not interview McNeil and arguing the review omitted key evidence.
  • McNeil’s legal team plans civil litigation and has requested a U.S. Department of Justice inquiry into potential civil-rights violations in the traffic stop.