Nationwide — William McNeil Jr., a 22-year-old African American college student from North Carolina, is recovering from serious injuries after being violently pulled from his vehicle and beaten by Florida law enforcement officers during a traffic stop. His attorneys revealed Wednesday that he suffered a concussion, a broken tooth that punctured his lip, and required several stitches. The February incident gained national attention after video from McNeil’s dashboard camera went viral, prompting outrage and calls for accountability.
Speaking at a press conference in Jacksonville, Florida, McNeil appeared subdued and emotional as he recalled the incident, joined by his family and civil rights attorneys. A biology major and marching band member at Livingstone College, a historically Black institution, McNeil said he was frightened and confused during the encounter. “I just really wanted to know why I was getting pulled over and why I needed to step out of the car,” he said. “I knew I didn’t do anything wrong. I was really just scared.”
According to KWTX, video footage captured by McNeil’s cell phone camera shows officers breaking his window, punching him in the face, and dragging him out of the car after he asked to speak with a supervisor. Once outside the vehicle, he was hit multiple times, including six punches to his thigh while he lay on the ground. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and others have accused officers of fabricating parts of their report and escalating a situation that McNeil tried to handle calmly.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended the officers despite admitting he hadn’t seen the video. He suggested the footage was being used to push a “narrative” for online engagement. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, who only launched an internal review after the footage went public, claimed the video lacked full context and supported a conclusion by the State Attorney’s Office that cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing. Crump and attorney Harry Daniels sharply criticized that review as biased and incomplete.
One claim in the police report—that McNeil reached for a knife on the car floor—was refuted by video evidence and a second officer’s own report, which stated McNeil kept his hands up as officers broke the window. Still, McNeil later pleaded guilty to resisting an officer without violence and driving with a suspended license. His attorneys argue that the plea deal was made under duress and does not justify the use of excessive force.
Crump described the incident as a modern-day civil rights violation and likened McNeil’s actions to Rosa Parks, noting he had every right to ask why he was being stopped and to request a supervisor. “We are not a police state,” Crump said. “We are a Democracy that believes in the Constitution.” He emphasized that officers are trained to deescalate situations, but in this case, they were the aggressors.
The sheriff’s office maintains that the viral video fails to tell the full story due to its limited angle and timing, and insists that important moments leading up to the arrest were not captured. Nevertheless, McNeil’s legal team continues to push for transparency and justice. Civil rights advocates at the press conference said this case should serve as a wake-up call, warning that anyone could be the next victim of unchecked police violence.
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