Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, alongside Harry Daniels, has stepped in to represent Jacksonville mother Erika McGriff after a video of her forceful arrest sparked controversy. McGriff was arrested near IDEA charter school on Bassett Road for allegedly parking illegally and assaulting a police officer.
According to First Coast News, McGriff's arrest occurred last Tuesday when an officer confronted her about the parked car. The situation quickly turned violent, ending with McGriff's alleged punches and bites directed at the officer. However, bodycam footage has led to scrutiny of the officer's actions, who is seen pulling McGriff's hair and putting her in a headlock.
Crump, in a statement, compared McGriff's treatment to that of another case he is working on, involving a Black college student, William McNeil Jr. "This disturbing video shows yet another example of unnecessary and excessive force used against a Black woman during what should have been a routine encounter," he told News4Jax. "No mother should be brutalized in front of her child and community for something as minor as a parking issue. We will fight to hold the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office accountable for this inexcusable aggression just like we are fighting to hold them accountable for the excessive force we saw in the video that was inflicted upon Black college student, William McNeil Jr."
Additionally, the arrest's footage, which has gone viral, presents a harrowing scene. The video shows an officer punching McGriff, throwing her to the ground, and pinning her neck with his knee. McGriff's repeated cries for help and statements, including "I can't breathe," have been widely circulated and have caused public outrage. Crump and his legal team are investigating this incident thoroughly, as revealed in a press release from their firm, to fully determine the extent of the excessive force used. He affirmed his commitment to "hold them accountable for the excessive force we saw in the video" in the statement obtained by Crump's press release.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has yet to publicly comment on the pending investigation or on Crump's involvement.
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