JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – High-profile civil rights attorneys on Friday accused the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office of fostering a pattern of excessive force, alleging department policies enable, rather than prevent, police brutality.
Watch the full press conference below.
Attorneys Benjamin Crump and Harry Daniels spoke at a news conference held at the Sanctuary of the Mount Calvary Church, where they highlighted several recent arrests involving Black men that they say demonstrate a troubling trend.
Dasaun Williams, 24, of Middleburg was arrested by JSO last November during an undercover drug and gang investigation, but body camera video of the takedown only recently came to light after the family obtained it and posted it to social media.
The video of his arrest, which was sent to News4JAX by Williams’ girlfriend, prompted dozens of requests for News4JAX to look into the takedown and whether officers used excessive force.
Williams, whose mugshot after the November arrest shows him with a swollen face, is facing 27 felony counts related to drug trafficking, selling fentanyl, selling meth and firearms offenses. His attorneys attempted a plea deal, but prosecutors rejected the terms that were offered.
According to the attorneys, the official police report does not mention any use of force. The sheriff’s office has said only that the case remains under administrative review.
The JSO said Williams is linked to the “Out East 1200″ gang.
The video of his arrest, posted on social media and viewed thousands of times, appears to show JSO officers striking Williams in the face, placing multiple knees to his head, and holding a stun gun against his back.
“We don’t need outlaws,” Crump said. “What we need is law enforcement who respect the Constitution.”
Williams’ mother, Deonca Gordon, said video of the arrest shows her son did not resist officers.
“To see the video of my son not saying not one word in resistance … to be met with that brutal force — where’s the justice for him?” Gordon said.
A separate clip shows what appears to be multiple slaps to his face while he is pinned down by officers. Williams also appears to vomit in the video.
Others at the news conference described similar experiences.
William McNeil, whose February 2024 traffic stop went viral, said he was punched and dragged from his car. Authorities have said McNeil repeatedly ignored commands to exit the vehicle, and the officers involved were cleared of criminal wrongdoing.
Another man, Travis Brinkley, alleged he was beaten by an officer who arrived after he was already on the ground during a 2024 drug arrest.
“I didn’t resist, I didn’t curse, I wasn’t combative,” Brinkley said.
The sheriff’s office told News4JAX that the force used in Brinkley’s arrest was reviewed and found to be within department policy.
Daniels criticized those policies, saying they allow “distractionary strikes” and do not always require officers to report use of force unless a suspect claims injury or is taken to a hospital.
The attorneys said the policies themselves are the issue and called on Sheriff T.K. Waters to take stronger action.
Waters has previously defended deputies in high-profile cases, including McNeil’s arrest. He has not publicly commented in detail on the Williams case.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment.
Erika McGriff also retained Crump and Daniels after videos surfaced alleging excessive force by JSO officers.
JSO announced the operation, called Operation Red Light, saying it led to the arrests of alleged gang members and seizures of drugs.
The agency has not released the full body-worn camera footage that has circulated online; News4JAX has asked JSO for the complete video, but has so far been able to review only what was posted publicly.
Williams’ arrest report describes a months-long undercover investigation and lists 27 charges, saying Williams sold meth and fentanyl to confidential informants on multiple occasions.
The report’s description of the arrest says, “The Gang Investigations Unit conducted a buy/bust on Dasaun Williams, taking him into custody,” but it does not mention the use of force seen in the video.
JSO said the video is under administrative review, and it can not comment at this time.
News4JAX reached out to JSO about Friday’s press conference and did not get a response.