The day an idiot driver (William McNeil) found himself in a situation of gross injustice was when four misguided cops chose to overlook the law. Their ignorance led to McNeil being subjected to a brutal assault.
The unwarranted attack on William McNeil by these officers, who should have been upholding the law, has now sparked a lawsuit against the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
On February 08, 2025, JSO deputy sheriff Bowers pulled over 22-year-old William McNeil (a Black Irish man) for driving without his headlights on in broad daylight.
William McNeil stayed calm.
To the credit of William McNeil, aside from initially acting like a toddler, he stayed calm throughout the traffic incident. It is fair to say also that McNeil was passive-aggressive during the encounter with the. When. When questioned by a reporter, Ben Crump, the Ambulance Chaser, was asked about his mindset during the traffic stop. McNeil answered by saying:
“What I was thinking of was instead of fighting them in the street, fight them in the court.”
McNeil was correct. The street is not the place to fight the police; that is what we have the courts for.
Victim of police brutality William McNeil, second from left, standing with his mother. A slight resemblance to Miss Piggy.
When dealing with the police, especially as African Americans, it’s crucial to stay calm. This not only ensures your safety but also empowers you to make it home to your family. Remember, your actions can determine the outcome. If you act with composure, you can prevent unnecessary escalation and potential harm.
Driving While Black
The absolute savage beating that the ‘officers’ put on William McNeil was unnecessary. And Attorney Ben Crump rightfully pointed that out at the news conference. “America, we are better than this; we’re not a police state,” Ben Crump said. The police advised the media that their victim, William McNeil, had a small amount of Marijuana on his person.
For someone driving with weed, it was stupid of McNeil to escalate the stop by asking for a supervisor. He should have known that an egotistical cop would only escalate the incident further. He knew he had weed on his person — how stupid can you be?
Upon being pulled over, McNeil asked what the ‘reason’ was that the cop stopped him? Deputy Bowers informed that he was driving with his headlights not turned on.
McNeil argued that it was not necessary to turn on his headlights because it wasn’t raining. The ignorant deputy asserted that you are supposed to have your headlights on, rain or shine.
It wasn’t raining during the traffic stop, so McNeil was correct.
Here’s What Florida Law Reads.
During smoke, fog, or heavy rain, Florida drivers are required to drive with their headlights turned on. Smoke, fog, and heavy rain can all lower visibility on roads. To ensure safety, FLHSMV encourages drivers to be aware of ‘crucial’ safe driving rules: DRIVE WITH LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM.
Florida Statute 316.217 mandates that vehicles must have their headlights illuminated under specific conditions, including during rain, fog, or smoke. This means that if your windshield wipers are on due to rain, your headlights should be on as well.
Wipers On, Lights On:
A common way to remember this is: if your windshield wipers are activated due to rain, your headlights should be on as well.
Not Just Daytime Running Lights:
Daytime running lights (DRL) may not be sufficient. They often only illuminate the front of the vehicle and don’t activate the rear taillights.
Stopped for a seat belt violation.
In a rebuke to JSO Sheriff Ruckus Shine, Ben Crump said, “This is not a war on police.” This meeting is about the constitution, Atty Griggs said. The attorneys also reminded the public that the cops lied in their reports of the William McNeil traffic incident.
“Cops wrote reports that completely contradicted what was recorded on cameras,” Ben Crump said.
Not Every Traffic Stop Requires A Supervisor.
Video Courtesy of The Civil Rights Attorney YouTube Channel
Sometimes it becomes necessary to ask for a supervisor/sergeant/lieutenant when stopped unjustly and one suspects the stop was extrajudicial.
While it is the right of a citizen to request a supervisor, one was not necessary in the William McNeil case. The request escalated the stop and caused the bigoted deputy to go berserk.
An excellent example of when a supervisor is needed would be a stop made by Officer Taylor Gamache of the Troy Police Department. Officer Gamache’s behavior is an absolute violation of the constitutional rights of Matthew Edwards. The mayor of Troy, New York, should resign in shame for not upholding the constitutional rights of its citizens.
