JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 29-year-old woman says Jacksonville police entered her home without permission and used excessive force, pinning her to the ground.
In a video of the incident, which was captured by Brittany Williams’ boyfriend, it appears an officer can be heard saying he was assaulted by Williams.
Shortly after 5:30 p.m. Thursday, News4Jax was there when Williams walked out of the Duval County jail, being greeted by her family and her boyfriend, Ausar Moore.
“I’m in a lot of pain. I’ve been asking for medical attention since I got here,” Williams said.
Williams was arrested and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest. She said it all started when she asked a police officer parked in her driveway to leave because he didn’t appear to be conducting official police business.
Here is the video that was posted to YouTube. News4Jax removed a portion where Williams shared her phone number with a dispatch operator and explicit language was used. Viewer discretion is advised.
At the beginning of the video, Williams calls 911 to request assistance.
When more police arrive, one of the officers appears to slowly walk toward her.
“He told me, ‘My supervisor is coming,’ and the next thing I know, I’m being attacked from both sides on my porch, so before they get to me, I’m trying to go back in my house," Williams said.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said police officers will not typically park in someone’s driveway unless it’s for official police business. Even then, he said an officer will usually get permission from the property owner to use the driveway if it’s for something such as surveillance.
“An officer will not just pull up into a private driveway and just sit there, number one. Number two, the person arrested was well within her rights to ask the officer was he there for official business. We later learned he was there reading emails. She asked him to leave."
The officer can be heard in the recording saying that the driveway was public access. Reganel Reeves of the Cochran Firm, Williams’ attorney, maintains that the driveway belongs to his client.
The officer can also be heard in the recording saying he was reading emails.
Reeves said his client’s right were violated.
“You should be free from intrusion from the government on your personal property, and then they went into her home without a warrant," Reeves said.
Later in the video, an officer can be heard telling Moore that Williams is being arrested for throwing something at an officer before the video was recorded.
Jefferson said that if what the officer said is true, Williams can be charged.
“You can’t do that," Jefferson said. “I don’t care how minor it is or how big or small you are, you just crossed the line.”
Williams attorney said he’s working to get the charges dropped.
News4Jax requested comment from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. A spokesperson said he had been made aware of the video and that it was “being administratively reviewed.”