Woman Claims Cops Beat Her for Filming Husband's Arrest
A Florida woman alleges she was punched and tackled to the ground by two white Jacksonville policemen for filming the arrest of her husband.
According to NewsJax4, Kelli Wilson went to a local convenience store to record the arrest of her husband and retrieve their car when she was assaulted by police officers who demanded she stop recording.
“I was beaten, and then falsely arrested, my phone was stolen, my car was taken,” said Wilson. “It was a traumatic experience. It was definitely an experience you never think you would be going through.”
Although authorities confiscated her phone, surveillance cameras seem to corroborate Wilson's account of the events. After a confrontation over Wilson's refusal to hand over the cell phone, one officer can be seen punching her while the other one holds her arms.
“He asked for it, he demanded it again, and I gave him the same, ‘Why do you want my phone? What do you need my phone for?’ He told me he would punch me in my face,” Wilson explained. “I eventually got punched and beaten and the sergeant that was on the scene joined in the beating.”
According to the police report, the officers claim Wilson refused to identify herself and was arrested for interfering with the arrest. They also say she was punched and kneed because she appeared to be reaching for a weapon, though in the video she can be seen backing away from the scene and no weapon was discovered.
“She was lucky for that [surveillance] video,” said her attorney, Dexter Van Davis. “Because without it, I don’t think a judge or jury would believe her against three police officers.”
Authorities still have possession of Wilson’s phone.
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