Jacksonville Man Files Federal Lawsuit Over Police Traffic Stop Assault

William McNeil Jr., a 22-year-old Black college student, has filed a federal lawsuit against Jacksonville officers, the sheriff, and the city after a viral video showed him being punched and violently removed from his vehicle during a traffic stop. McNeil was stopped in February for allegedly not having his headlights on, though video evidence suggests it was daylight and not raining, calling the legality of the stop into question. The lawsuit alleges excessive force by Officer Donald Bowers, including punching McNeil multiple times, forcibly slamming his head into the pavement, and causing injuries such as a fractured tooth and traumatic brain injury, despite McNeil posing no immediate threat. McNeil's attorneys, including Ben Crump, argue that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has policies that allow for excessive force and racial profiling without accountability. Prosecutors declined to press charges against the officers, stating their conduct did not violate criminal laws, which prompted the civil lawsuit. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters has defended the officers' actions, saying the video does not fully capture the incident, while McNeil seeks justice for what he describes as an unlawful and brutal attack.