A 22-year-old Black college student has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Jacksonville law enforcement after he was violently beaten during a February traffic stop that was captured on video and widely circulated online.
William McNeil, also referred to as William McNeil Jr., filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Jacksonville this week, naming Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, Officer D. Bowers, Officer D. Miller, the City of Jacksonville, and Duval County. The case alleges that Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) policies allow racial profiling and “illegal or excessive use of force” without accountability.
Video of the February 19 incident shows Officer Bowers breaking the window of McNeil’s car, punching him, and dragging him out. Several other officers then tackled McNeil to the ground. According to the complaint, Bowers slammed McNeil’s head into the pavement while another officer struck him repeatedly in the back.
McNeil said during a press conference announcing the lawsuit, “I hope my story gets heard today.” He later told ABC News, “I don’t drive anymore. Just because I don’t trust cops anymore. I’m still scared. I can’t get sleep at night because of trauma. I have flashbacks and nightmares.” He added, “I feared for my life.”
His attorneys, civil rights lawyers Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, argue that the incident was a clear violation of McNeil’s rights. “It’s an unjustifiable, unnecessary and most importantly unconstitutional use of force,” Crump said. The attorneys said the lawsuit seeks not only justice for McNeil but also changes to the culture of policing in Jacksonville.
According to legal filings, McNeil suffered a laceration to his chin and lip, a fractured tooth, and an “ongoing traumatic brain injury.” He continues to experience post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms, including nightmares and flashbacks.
The stop that led to the beating was initiated after Bowers claimed McNeil failed to wear his seatbelt and turn on his headlights. A prosecutors’ report said the officer had observed McNeil’s SUV outside a house he was surveilling for “drug activity.” Prosecutors determined that Bowers “conducted a lawful traffic stop and gave McNeil 12 individual lawful commands, which McNeil refused to obey.”
McNeil, however, had requested a supervisor at the scene and recorded the encounter on his phone. In his video, he can be seen sitting in the car, looking forward, as Bowers breaks the window and begins punching him.
Sheriff Waters, who is Black, defended the department, saying that there was more context to the incident than the viral video showed. He argued that the footage from inside the car “does not comprehensively capture the circumstances surrounding the incident.” A spokesperson for JSO declined further comment, citing the pending litigation.
Prosecutors announced in August they would not pursue charges, a decision that drew sharp criticism from McNeil’s attorneys. Crump has claimed that officers escalated the situation unnecessarily, noting that McNeil remained calm while the trained officers resorted to violence. He argued that the case echoes moments from the Civil Rights era when Black Americans were attacked simply for asserting their rights.
The officers’ union defended Bowers following the prosecutors’ decision. “When you allow due process and thorough investigations to occur you get facts and evidence,” the union posted on its Facebook page. “Not emotions, agendas and politics being pushed by radical people in our community and some elected officials who felt like they had to hear themselves speak before all the facts were known.”
The lawsuit comes amid broader questions about accountability in policing. McNeil’s attorneys have called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate, though recent actions by the Trump administration’s DOJ have ended federal oversight of several police departments previously accused of civil rights violations. In May, the DOJ dismissed lawsuits against police departments in Louisville and Minneapolis, and terminated civil rights investigations in Phoenix, Trenton, Memphis, Mount Vernon, Oklahoma City, and the Louisiana State Police.
For McNeil, the effects remain personal and lasting. “I don’t drive anymore,” he said in his interview. “Just because I don’t trust cops anymore. I’m still scared.”
Fact box: Timeline of William McNeil’s case
February 19, 2025
- Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer D. Bowers stopped William McNeil, 22, for allegedly not wearing a seatbelt and not turning on headlights.
- Bowers said McNeil’s SUV was also seen outside a house under surveillance for “drug activity.”
- McNeil requested a supervisor and began recording on his phone.
- Video shows Bowers breaking McNeil’s window, punching him, and dragging him out. Several officers tackled McNeil; complaint alleges Bowers slammed his head into the pavement while another officer struck him repeatedly.
Summer 2025
- The video went viral online, drawing national outrage
August 2025
- The State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit declined charges against Officer Bowers, citing a “lawful” stop and disobedience of 12 commands.
September 2025
- McNeil filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in Jacksonville naming Sheriff T.K. Waters, Officers D. Bowers and D. Miller, the City of Jacksonville, and Duval County.
- Lawsuit alleges JSO policies enable racial profiling and excessive force.
- Attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels said the case aims to change the culture of policing.
- McNeil reported lasting physical and psychological injuries, including a traumatic brain injury and PTSD-like symptoms.
COMMENTS