Le’Keian Woods’ brutal beating, which shocked the nation, has prompted the Department of Justice to announce that they are “monitoring” the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Gang Unit. The DOJ’s interest in the case wasn’t solely due to Woods’ attack, but also to a string of complaints regarding police brutality.
“Lockdown” by Anderson .Paak: Revisiting the BLM Track on Juneteenth
Harry Daniels, Woods’ civil rights attorney, wrote a letter to the department describing the incident that occurred on September 29th. During a routine seatbelt violation stop, Woods attempted to escape and was subsequently apprehended by officers. However, during the detainment, officers repeatedly struck Woods with their fists and knees, resulting in over a dozen blows to his face and body. As a result of the excessive force, Woods suffered a ruptured kidney and severe swelling to his head, which is visible in his widely circulated booking photo.
After facing immense backlash from the public, the JSO conducted an internal investigation which did not yield any results. Additionally, they released the body camera footage and held a press conference where Sheriff T.K. Waters defended the officers’ use of force. However, Woods and his legal team were not satisfied with this conclusion.
After the incident involving Woods, Daniels requested the DOJ Civil Rights Division to conduct a thorough investigation not only into his case but also into several other instances of unarmed individuals allegedly being beaten by the JSO.
Take a look at the DOJ’s reply:
The Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division investigates and prosecutes violations of federal criminal civil rights statutes. Much of our enforcement activity relates to violent bias- motivated crimes, as well as deprivations of rights under color of law, which most often involve allegations of excessive physical force by law enforcement officers.The Division, through its Special Litigation Section, has authority under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, 42 U.S.C. $ 1997, to investigate complaints about a pattern or practice of unlawful conditions in state or locally operated institutions, including prisons, jails, and correctional facilities. Generally, a “pattern or practice” requires proof of repeated conduct that affects more than one person. When the Division finds a systemic “pattern or practice” depriving people of constitutional rights, it may bring a civil action against state or local officials to remedy the unconstitutional conditions.The Criminal Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida are aware of the allegations, and we are monitoring the incident.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), they have stated that in the event they come across any information that could lead to a federal criminal civil rights offense that can be prosecuted, they will take additional measures.
According to USA TODAY, the Department of Justice has initiated investigations into several police departments, including the Memphis Police Department after the death of Tyre Nichols, the Minneapolis PD after the killing of George Floyd, and most recently, the Trenton PD following the paralysis of Jajuan Henderson.
It appears that the Federal government may have another department under scrutiny for potential police misconduct.
Also Read:
- Federal Authorities Sentence Shooter for Recklessly Firing and Fatally Shooting Uninvolved Bystander Following a Robbery in DC
- Colorado’s ‘Abortion Reversal Law Blocked by Federal Judge in a Close Decision
- Highland Park mass shooting suspect claims federal officials staged attack: Sheriff’s office
