The U.S. Department of Justice has cleared the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office of any federal civil rights violations in its use of force in the September arrest of a man.
Videos of Le’Keian Woods’ arrest went viral. On Sept. 29, police chased Woods and then Tasered him before he hit the ground.
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Family told Action News Jax that Woods was beaten and swollen.
The DOJ said it looked at videos in this case. It said the incident does not give rise to a “prosecutable violation of the federal civil rights laws.”
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The investigation is now closed.
In its letter, the DOJ also said, “Separately, we are aware of some inaccurate reports that the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is monitoring the Sheriff’s office. Please know that the Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section does not currently have an open investigation into this conduct or the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.”
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JSO released the following statement in response to the letter:
“Earlier this week, false and misleading statements stating that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was actively being investigated by the Department of Justice were circulated. Today, JSO received the attached letter from DOJ conclusively stating that JSO is not being investigated by DOJ. Moreover, this communication indicates that, after review of the facts and circumstances of Le’keian I. Woods arrest, DOJ has concluded that the officers’ use of force does not constitute a prosecutable violation of federal criminal civil rights law.”
Read the full letter from the DOJ to Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters below:
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office by ActionNewsJax on Scribd
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