Mayor Deegan declines comment on JSO ‘beatdown’ of suspect

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan isn’t answering questions for now about the controversial body camera video of a violent JSO arrest that the attorneys for the suspect’s family have called a “beatdown.”

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Action News Jax Ben Becker was told by her office on Thursday that she was going to finally address the arrest of Le’Keian Woods at a community conversation event in Oceanway. Deegan had been out of the country in England for the Jaguars annual game in London when the incident took place, but she arrived back on Monday.

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The topic didn’t come up at the meeting. Action News Jax reporter Ben Ryan asked her about the bloody police encounter that has sparked local and national outrage, but Deegan kept walking as she was flanked by security.

“Mayor, mayor, we know that you have talked to the Sheriff and Le’Keian’s mother. Can you address that incident at all?” Ryan asked as a door shut in his face. “Alright, I’m just going to close it, ok…ok.”

The mayor’s office told Becker Thursday that Deegan met with Sheriff T.K. Waters as well as Natassia Woods (Le’Keian’s mother).

Body camera footage of the Woods arrest on Sept. 29 shows he was hit roughly 17 times on his head, ribs, and shoulders after running from police following a traffic stop.

Related Story: JSO investigating arrest amidst allegations of police brutality, according to family

Woods is being held on charges of armed drug trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, and resisting an officer with violence.

Woods attorneys say the encounter wasn’t justified and have raised questions about JSO’s use of force policies and want a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.

Sheriff Waters has said the officers’ use of force was appropriate.

Related Story: ‘Beatdown:’ Attorneys for Le’Keian Woods speak as Jacksonville police release body camera video

“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is fully committed to transparency. We welcome any inquiry by the Department of Justice into this case and JSO policy and practices,” JSO said in a statement to Action News Jax on Thursday. “Likewise, we are confident that federal law enforcement officials will share our conclusion that our officers acted appropriately in regard to the law and administrative policy.”

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Becker reached out to the mayor’s office for further comment about why Deegan didn’t talk Thursday and was told she didn’t speak because the event ran long.

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