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Body camera footage released after violent Florida traffic stop goes viral
Body camera footage released after violent Florida traffic stop goes viral

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Body camera footage released after violent Florida traffic stop goes viral

A Florida sheriff has released body camera footage of a violent traffic stop in which officers were seen smashing a man's window and repeatedly punching him. The latest video of the Feb. 19 arrest of William Anthony McNeil Jr. shows the perspective of two officers responding to the stop that began when McNeil was pulled over for a headlight and seatbelt violation in Jacksonville. The new body camera videos show officers confronting McNeil – and punching him – after he questioned why he was pulled over and refused to get out of the car. The release comes after cellphone video McNeil recorded of his interaction with officers gained viral traction online. That footage prompted a criminal review that ended with prosecutors clearing the law enforcement officials of any wrongdoing. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters explains what happened when officers used deadly force on a suspect July 15, 2025. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference on July 21 that "one video devoid of context can be very misleading," referring to the cellphone footage that sparked backlash over the agency's handling of the traffic stop. Waters also said McNeil was in possession of marijuana and officers found a knife in the vehicle. D.J. Bowers, the officer who smashed McNeil's window and punched him at least twice, has been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal review of whether he violated the agency's policies. In a separate criminal review, local prosecutors determined "none of the involved officers violated criminal law," Waters said. McNeil retained civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels to represent him. 'This wasn't law enforcement, it was brutality," McNeil's legal team said in a joint statement on July 21. "We demand full accountability from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and justice for William McNeil Jr." William McNeil Jr. is shown as his driver's side window is broken by police during a traffic stop in February 2025. Two days after his arrest, McNeil pleaded guilty to resisting police without violence and driving with a suspended license, court records show. He was sentenced to two days already served in jail, and a misdemeanor marijuana charge was dropped. McNeil repeatedly struck by officers during traffic stop, arrest The body camera footage begins with Officer Bowers approaching McNeil and telling him he was stopped for not having his headlights on during "inclement weather" as well as a seatbelt violation. McNeil, speaking to Bowers through his open front door because his driver's side window wasn't working, said he did not need to have his headlights on because "it's daylight" and "it's not raining." McNeil then refused to provide his license and registration and requested to speak with a supervisor. After Bowers told him to step out of the vehicle, McNeil said "no" and closed the door. Footage shows Bowers trying to open it before he radioed that it was locked. 'Right now, you're under arrest for resisting," Bowers said. "The longer you take … the worse it's gonna be.' When another officer pulled in front of McNeil's car, Bowers said "Sir, this is your last warning to open the vehicle and exit before we are going to break the window." A short while later, McNeil lowered the passenger window and spoke briefly with another officer. Bowers again said he was about to break the window and was told to "go for it" by a fellow officer. Bowers smashed in the driver's side window and punched McNeil in the head. McNeil, who remained nonviolent, raised his hands and asked "What is your reason, sir?" Officers pulled McNeil out of the car and forced him to the ground, where body camera video shows officers striking him as he was face down on the pavement. In McNeil's cellphone footage, it appears Bowers punched him in the head after he was taken out of the car and before he was brought to the ground. Footage shows McNeil's face bloodied after the scuffle. Near the end of the footage, Bowers radioed in for a unit to look at a cut on McNeil's lip. Contributing: Steve Patterson, The Florida Times-Union This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New footage released after violent traffic stop in Florida goes viral

George Pino deadly boat crash case prompts FWC policy change after bodycam videos deleted
George Pino deadly boat crash case prompts FWC policy change after bodycam videos deleted

CBS News

time11-05-2025

  • CBS News

George Pino deadly boat crash case prompts FWC policy change after bodycam videos deleted

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is revising its body camera policy following scrutiny over how its officers handled footage from the 2022 Biscayne Bay boat crash involving Miami real estate broker George Pino — a crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and left another teen with a traumatic brain injury. FWC: Policy, not officer misconduct, behind body camera issue In a newly released statement, the FWC Division of Law Enforcement said its review found no wrongdoing by the officers who responded to the crash. Instead, the agency cited a gap in its current policy, which failed to clearly instruct officers in support roles—those who were not lead investigators or directly addressing violations—on how to categorize their body-worn camera (BWC) videos. "In this case, the officers categorized their videos as incidental, which, under the existing policy, was an appropriate classification," the FWC said. "They were not the lead officers on the case, nor were they addressing any violations directly." The agency also emphasized that officers did not delete their footage; rather, the system automatically removes videos after a set retention period based on how they were classified. Revised policy underway to increase accountability The FWC acknowledged that its current policy "did not align with our intent for our officers' documentation responsibilities," and said it is taking immediate steps to revise the guidance. The changes will clarify categorization procedures, especially for officers in non-primary roles, and add expectations for supervisory review. "We are committed to transparency and accountability, and we appreciate the opportunity to address this matter directly," the agency said. The clarification comes amid renewed attention on how the investigation into the 2022 crash was handled, particularly after it was revealed that some witnesses were not contacted and that no sobriety test was administered to Pino at the scene. George Pino surrenders, faces felony charge Pino surrendered to authorities in November 2024 and appeared in court for a hearing related to a felony charge of vessel homicide. Prosecutors say he was piloting a 29-foot boat carrying his daughter and several friends near Boca Chita Key during Labor Day weekend in 2022 when the vessel struck a channel marker, ejecting all passengers and tearing a hole in the hull. Fernandez died from her injuries, and another girl, Katy Puig, was left with a traumatic brain injury. Eleven of the 14 people on board were hurt. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said Pino claimed another boat caused a large wake and that he crashed while turning to check on the girls. Investigators later recovered 61 empty alcohol containers—including a champagne bottle—from the boat. Though Pino admitted to having "two beers," no field sobriety test was conducted. Legal and family reactions In 2023, the state filed three misdemeanor charges against Pino, which were dropped in favor of the more serious felony count. The felony charge carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Pino's daughter, Sofia Castellanos, released a statement on behalf of the family in November 2024, expressing remorse and a commitment to supporting the Fernandez and Puig families. "If we could give up our lives to bring Lucy back… we would do so in an instant," she said. Pino's attorney, Howard Srebnick, criticized the timing of the upgraded charge and argued the incident was a tragic accident, not a criminal act. He said Pino was cooperative, followed boating regulations, and made "heroic efforts" to rescue passengers despite his own injuries. Investigation questions remain The Miami Herald previously reported that three eyewitnesses said they were never contacted by either the FWC or the State Attorney's Office. The Fernandez family's attorney, Joel Denaro, said new witness statements and the presence of alcohol led prosecutors to file the more serious charge. "There's no question that alcohol was a factor," Denaro said. "And with the discovery of the new witness, it became clear that this was a factor that contributed to the accident."

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