White Florida cop is arrested for excessive force after tasing black man
Springfield, Florida, police officer Ronnie Nelson has been arrested and charged with felony official misconduct and misdemeanor battery
A white Florida police officer has been arrested on charges of official misconduct and battery after he was seen on body camera video stopping a black man on his way home and tasering him.
Ronnie Nelson, an officer with the Springfield Police Department, was booked into the Bay County Jail on Tuesday for allegedly using excessive force during his encounter with Solomon 'Sonny' Smith on May 29.
According to reports and video evidence, Nelson and recruit officer Morgan Weller, who is also white, were patrolling Highway 98 shortly after midnight when they spotted Smith walking down the sidewalk and approached him, asking what he was doing there at that late hour, reported Panama City News Herald.
Smith, who is believed to be developmentally impaired and is said to be a well-known figure in the area, tells the officers in the body camera video that he is walking home from a friend's house and that he is not bothering anyone or committing any crimes.
Nelson is accused of using excessive force after stopping Solomon Smith in Springfield on the morning of May 29, as shown in this body camera video
Smith, who is said to be developmentally impaired, tells Nelson and a recruit officer that he is walking home and not bothering anyone
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Share'I'm trying to get home,' Smith says. 'I'm not doing nothing, sir.'
Officer Nelson continues questioning Smith and asks him for his name.
The man gives his name, date of birth and Social Security number, but the female recruit allegedly mishears him and writes down the wrong last name, Eastman.
While Smith and Nelson continue arguing about the reason for the police stop, with the cop telling the man that the area is notorious for drug use and prostitution, the recruit officer goes to run Smith's information.
A few minutes later, she returns and confronts Smith, accusing him of giving her a fake name.
'Well, it ain't no crime,' he replies, then confirms that his name is Solomon Smith.
After accusing Smith of giving police a fake name, Nelson threatens to tase him and calls for backup, which arrives minutes later
Upon the arrival of backup officers, Nelson deploys his Taser against the man, which possibly makes partial contact with his skin
A backup officer then wraps his arm around Smith's neck and forces him to the ground
Moments later, Nelson pulls out his stun gun and orders Smith to put his hands behind his back.
'I'm sorry,' Smith pleads. 'give me another chance, please...I'm trying to go home.'
Nelson orders Smith to get on the ground and warns him, 'I will tase your a**.'
Smith remains standing and asks Nelson, 'why are you doing this to me?'
The man resumes begging the officer to give him anther chance and let him go home, but Nelson would not budge.
This back-and-forth continues for a few more minutes until the recruit officer calls for backup.
As soon as a second patrol vehicle pulls up to the scene, Nelson discharges his stun gun, which possibly makes partial contact with Smith, according to reports.
One of the backup officers approaches Smith, wraps his arm around the man's neck and forces him to the ground.
As Smith is taken into custody, he repeatedly says 'sorry' and begs officers to let him go
'You hurt my back!' Smith man exclaims as he is put in handcuffs.
'Stop, please,' he whimpers. 'It hurts my wrists.'
After being pulled up to his feet, Smith repeatedly says he is sorry.
'I believe you're sorry, Bubba,' Nelson replies, 'but you didn't have to go this route.'
Smith's arrest in Springfield took place just days after George Floyd, an unarmed black man from Minneapolis, was killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin, who was seen on video pressing his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd's death sparked widespread protests against police brutality across the US and abroad, followed by calls to defund the police.
'After reviewing the case, talking to the state attorney office, we obtained arrest warrants for Mr. Nelson this morning,' announced Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, whose agency is handling the investigation into Nelson's alleged use of excessive force. 'It’s an embarrassing situation, it’s an infuriating situation from a law enforcement perspective, but we hope that it shows our accountability measures work.'
The station WJHG reported that Smith's arrest led to protests in Springfield this week, with organizers demanding that the other officers who took part in the incident also be held accountable.
The other responding officers, identified as Joel Oquendo and Brittany League, are currently under review and could face disciplinary actions.
Weller, the recruit officer who accompanied Nelson on patrol, will receive additional training.
Springfield Police Chief Barry Roberts said the rookie cop was 'devastated' by what happened.
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