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Escambia Deputy Charged With Felony Battery On Detainee (With Video)
February 1, 2011
An Escambia County deputy is facing felony battery charges for allegedly throwing a detainee into the jail floor and leaving there bleeding without medical attention.
According to State Attorney Bill Eddins, Deputy Zachary McArthur has been charged with one count of felony battery for the incident on December 9, 2010. According to Eddins, McArthur is alleged to have battered Justin Johnson while he was being detained at the jail. As a result of the incident Johnson received 11 stitches for an injury to his face. The entire incident was captured on video.
McArthur faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison if convicted.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, Johnson went to Chan’s Nightclub on December 8, 2010, a week after a deputy had told him to leave the business. Johnson said he did not see deputies at the nightclub during a four to five hour period until Deputy McArthur and a bouncer snatched him from his seat and taken outside where he was placed in the deputy’s cruiser.
Johnson told investigators that he was never told he was under arrest. He said that he remembered arriving at the Escambia County Jail where his head was slammed into something before blood poured down his face. Johnson said that while in the jail’s booking area, he made the statement that he wanted to kill himself just so someone would get him medical attention.
A State Attorney investigator said he viewed video from the jail’s booking area at the time of Johnson’s arrival with Deputy McArthur. According to the investigator, a black male and three other deputies, one of which was a sergeant, were also in the booking area.
The investigator stated that McArthur used his upper body to throw Johnson to the floor. “Deputy McArthur then grabs Justin Johnson by the handcuffs and drags him about 3-4 feet and leaves him lying on the floor bleeding,” State Attorney Investigator Richard Furmaniuk stated. “After Justin Johnson is dragged to the front of the bench, you can see the trail of blood on the floor, from Justin Johnson’s face.”
Furmaniuk said the video shows that Johnson is left on the floor for four minutes with no medical attention from McArthur or any of the other deputies in the booking area.
The incident was investigated by both the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
(If you do not see a video at the top of this page, it is because your work, school or home firewall is blocking YouTube videos.)
Comments
127 Responses to “Escambia Deputy Charged With Felony Battery On Detainee (With Video)”
I was diredting my comment to You who.
If you ge paid at all, you should be proffesional. That sounds like something the kid behind the counter at McDonalds would say. I used to be a fellow officer too. If you want act unprofessional, fast food may be your calling. Law enforcement is a higher calling, and we have to do it right.
As far as the war goes, it is in the home and on the street as well as at the jail. You don’t want this kind of treatment when you are stopped because of a broken tail light. We have punching bags at the gym to relieve stress.
Sounds like “fellow officer” is holding a grudge (I would) or either he is a thug loving lib.
TO Fellow officer
Good for you and I mean that sincerely. I wish every officer was like you.
regarding:
“IT’S TO BAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CANNOT BE JUDGE AND JURY. THE WORLD MIGHT BE A BETTER PLACE. AND SAVE A LOT OF TAX PAYERS MONEY.”
Please think of the worst person you’ve ever known and the one who disliked you most, the one you disliked most.
Now imagine he somehow became a law enforcement officer. Do you believe he would become perfect just because he was now an officer? Would he become a perfect judge, a perfect jury?
Do you really think the world would be better with him having unquestioned power over your life and freedom?
David with a thought experiement
They don’t get payed enough to be called professional. If you want them to act professional then pay them professional. It’s a war out there between the thugs and the cops. The cops are outnumber and out guned and the thugs have more rights The odds are stacked agaist them.
Regardless of what you stated above that’s why I copied it. No matter what job you do you still have to be professional if that was your son or father you would be mad as ever and would not have made the above statement. And for the record I am a officer and no we don’t get paid for the job we do but I recognize that people are human regardless of the situation and I don’t let my personal feelings get caught up and if I feel that I can’t handle the situation I know how to pass it off to someone who can
IT’S TO BAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CANNOT BE JUDGE AND JURY. THE WORLD MIGHT BE A BETTER PLACE. AND SAVE A LOT OF TAX PAYERS MONEY.
No leg sweep there victim was slammed to the ground and there was no professionalism at all present in that room..
They don’t get payed enough to be called professional. If you want them to act professional then pay them professional. It’s a war out there between the thugs and the cops. The cops are outnumber and out guned and the thugs have more rights The odds are stacked agaist them.
just consider, if he wasn’t charged with any crime, maybe he wasn’t actually a criminal. Is beating non-criminals okay too?
“There is no problem that can’t be fixed by just turning it over to the police for a little while”—George Wallace
I think that if the LEO’s had the right to beat the stew out of these criminals the the world would certainly be a better place to live. The bleeding hearts have gave the criminals way to many rights and now they own the jails and prisons. If you don,t believe me just ask any CO/LEO just how delicate they have to be with these thugs of our society. Ask them how many times they have been spit on or cussed out or even sometime hit up on. Not all people that go to jail are bad but we all know who I’m talking about..These thugs if not brought under control soon, will soon be controling or lives. All of us law abiding citizens will have to watch our backs/Lock our doors be affraid to go to the city or malls or just about anywhere. This is real and we need to wake up and take a stance. It will be a terrible place we have created (This world)
This could be either way.
This perpetrator may have been such a problem that this officer had had enough
Training or not he is human.
Then again this officer may always feel he has had enough.
We all know they’re out there Criminals and Officers that are wrong.
We all know or have seen both.
As for the respect of officers, that goes both ways. There has been such
an abuse of power here for years, and the higher–ups are just like
the bad guys parents. They just cover it up.
I say if you want respect you need to give it and you need to earn it.
If you can’t do that, you shouldn’t be a cop. If you want the job and want to be
respected be prepared to be above reproach or suspicion, it’s just part
of the job.
I see that everybody got it out for the cops, is this America or what,everybody want to put the cops on trial, convict them without a jury and mount them to the highest tree in the land without hearing his side of the story. Where is the DUE PROCESS,is this officer not intitle to the 5th AMENDMENT under the laws of the constitution in which he was sworn to serve, give me a break, he is a human being, a citizen, a father, a son and a proud American just like the rest of us.The video only show the incident inside the jail, could the following have been some of the problem before he got to the jail, resisting arrest, spitting on the officer, trying to bit the officer, kicking the officer,trying to kick the back windows out of the patrol car,refusing to get in the car,refusing to get out the car at the jail ect.. this guy was banned from the nightclub and returned back,seem like he was looking for trouble from go. look at the bigger picture of this instead of a strip that was posted for national attention. The officer is well aware of the cameras inside the jail facility and his supervisor was standing right there, he’s not stupid!!!
Thank God for the video. NOT GUILTY!!!
No leg sweep there victim was slammed to the ground and there was no professionalism at all present in that room..
I got punished from the job and the law when I was physically attack and I defended myself so if these officers did what they did they should be punished also
@inconclusive
You can clearly see the officer trip the suspect!!!! If you’ll watch the suspect’s RIGHT leg (the one closest to the officer under investigation), you will clearly see that not only is it forced into a “locked knee” position, but you can also see that it is swept in a backwards motion while still in the “locked knee” position. Compare the form and movements of the suspect’s left leg compared to the form and movement of the RIGHT leg. If you know anything about self defense training you’ll clearly understand that the officer tripped the suspect by blocking the suspects RIGHT leg with his (officer’s) RIGHT knee. Basically, the officer used his own RIGHT leg and brought it up into the “bent knee” position, then placed it into the thigh/knee region on the RIGHT leg of the suspect and finally forced the suspect forward while pressing his right knee into the suspects RIGHT leg forcing it into the “locked knee” position. RESULTS….the suspect is easily taken down due to the officers blocking/tripping maneuver and by forcing the suspects RIGHT leg out from under him while being pulled forward. Nice maneuver when trying to subdue a suspect in the field or during a jail riot, but not so nice when the suspect is handcuffed in a secured jail with three additional officers watching. Not counting the fact he left the suspect laying on the floor with no medical attention after slamming his head into the concrete.
With a temper like that, I bet this man’s wife and children live in fear everyday.
Police are held to a higher standard than the criminals they arrest and should be.There are some arrogant cops out there. THEY need to learn a lesson or two.If you are no better than the people you arrest ,what gives you the right to arrest them.Put this cop in the cell with this guy with handcuffs on and leave him for one minute.
that’s good and praiseworthy
I have tried and will continue to teach my child to respect her elders and authorities. My parents tried to to do the same in the raising of me, I have never been thrown around or felt abused by a LEO because LEO’s are trained professionals and I haven’t given them a reason to.
@ David Green…
I was answering a question that was addressed to me! So therefore I would be upset because my child is 8 years old.
As for your question would it matter if she was 9 or 14 years old. Yes I would be upset at those ages too.
I have and
lol
“”"You keep defending this officer.. but what if this was your child getting thrown on the ground getting stitches?”"”
Just my opinion, no matter what age my child is, if he or she would get to this point of being in trouble, they might beg the police to save them from me. lol
If you know wrong is wrong, you shouldn’t have been in a bar getting drunk thinking everything was gonna be hunkie dorie.
That Top Sheriff, Morgan is fair minded as well as politically adept. If this deputy is a loose cannon, he will be cut loose. No team member is more valuable than the team as a unit.
Morgan was elected to run a clean department, and he has proven his worth so far.
The budget hit that this prisoner’s lawsuit for (alleged) excessive force will create will be an eye opener.
Undoubtedly this incident will trigger new training procedures to avoid future incidents.
Everybody wins.
REGARDING:
“I would be upset because my child is 8 years old.”
Would you be upset if your child were 9 years old? 10? 14? At what age would you no longer care about your child? I bet you would always care.
I’m not saying he didn’t bring the injury on himself, still don’t know. Just thinking some identify with the one injured, others identify with the one charged with keeping the rest of us from injury even if he has to hurt a few others in the process.
David whose babies are in their 20s,
hoping they don’t get themselves hurt
@ Susie Q
Yes I would be very up set if my child had to get 11 stiches from being thrown to the ground.
I would be upset because my child is 8 years old.
I believe in “innocent until proven guilty” and nothing in this video leads me to believe that this officer is guilty, but then again we don’t have all the facts.
By watching the video my 1st thought is… I wonder if Mr. Johnson was causing some sort of commotion (verbally or nonverbally)?? I ask this because of the 3 people (2 LEOs and the other guy) all turned and stared at the door as Mr. Johnson and the Deputy were coming in. One would think that the officers at least are use to people coming in/out of that door and would only warrant a glance to see who/what was comign through the door not an actual “caught my attention something is REALLY happening stare.”
My second thought is this… I’ve watched the video MANY times and no where in it to you see the Officer stick his leg out to trip Mr. Johnson. Do you know why you don’t see it… because there is another officer who is in the way of the camera. So none of you can absolutely 100% with positivity say you saw him being tripped. That would be an inaccurate statement don’t you think??? I can just as easily so that it looks so me like the officer was turning around to better position himself… that seems like a more fair and accurate statement than saying he tripped the man.
And thirdly… some of you are right. Dragging Mr. Johnson by the handcuffs seems a bit much. I can’t imagine how that would feel my arms being pulled at such an unnatural direction, BUT it does look like the officer gave him adequate time to get up (if there were audio we MIGHT have heard evidence as such).
Who knows what happened… all in all I believe there is much more evidence and more reason to give the officer benefit of the doubt. Give him his day in court… and let us not persecute ALL law enforcement officers for some bad apples because yes whether we want to admit it or not… there are some bad ones out there. (oh and weren’t their several people just months ago on here praising Sherriff Morgan’s work on cleaning up the streets in Century and the Brownsville area… and now you’re condemming him… hypocrits… they’re everywhere and you just can’t make everyone happy all the time)
@ David Huie:
You are an anchor in a raging storm! You add sanity to an insane world! I agree with you, completely. But you are a hoot!!!
@ D.Willis II
You keep defending this officer.. but what if this was your child getting thrown on the ground getting stitches?
Well if he would have picked his feet up and walked he wouldnt have to drag him!
This police force is starting to remind me of a Sheriff McNesby led force.
Looks the name has changed, but everything remained the same.
Crime is still out of control and the police force is still out of control.
The department has lacked leadership for far too long and this is the result.
That deputy did a good job.
the persons that are standing there watching should be charged also if it where you or me thats what would happen to us
This turns my stomach!!!! This officer should be fired if you ask me! Police Officers demand respect but us people need the same in return!!
@ david huie Green
Me not know either. I am so confused lol
The deputies who stood there and did nothing should be charged as accessories to the crime. This type behavior is unacceptable from those who are trusted to enforce the law!
Anxiously waiting to see how Sheriff Morgan handles this matter…
REGARDING:
“This is an interesting comment from Mr. Green considering the fact that a few months ago he was arguing that people that do bad things are bad people. My argument was that sometimes a good person will make a dumb decision and do a bad thing, but it does not necessarily make them a bad person. Apparently, Mr. Green now agrees with me.”
Or maybe not.
In fact I raised the possibility he might not be a good person because he has at least been accused of doing bad things in the past. Me not know.
He could be a good person if he were falsely accused, or he may have given up being bad, or he may not have given it up and remained bad. Further, it is possible to do things which went badly but not intended harm if a person lacked the intelligence and/or knowledge to know what he was doing.
I don’t know the man but stick to the statement: You are what you do.
David considering how actions proceed from the heart
or at least the personality
O.o Wow, that guy wasn’t even doing anything, not even resisting. Yeah, you can take up for the policeman, the risks, and all that all you want but EVERYONE deserves SOME dignity, and if you can condone that sort of treatment to ANYONE, then that is just wrong. Probable cause is one thing, but the tape inside the jail house should be a pretty reliable source. There was no resisting, only brutal treatment.
Now, the video clearly shows us the story. So to all of you people saying “You don’ t know the story” Bahahah. What ya got to say now? He should have to pay for this action that he has done!
@my2cents:
To protect and serve…what about arresting Mr.Johnson was not protecting and serving the other bar patrons from a drunk, what about the arresting of this drunk did they do wrong by protecting the civilians of Escambia county by perhaps keeping this man who obviously has many issues from getting behind the wheel of a car and possibly killing my child or perhaps yours? It is a 45 second video. There is no possible way to know exactly happen without a full investigation of the situation.
As for the other deputies who you say just looked the other way..I can’t imagine and I know one of the deputies present that they would jeopardize losing their jobs and their livelihoods for anyone. Knowing that there were cameras watching their every move. Those cameras are there for a reason. If the deputy wanted to inflict harm on Mr.johnson he had plenty of other options as to where to do it instead he chooses to do it on camera while his co workers watch? Not buyung it. I know a lot of men and women who work in LE and some aren’t very pleasant but for the most part many of them would do anything to help others. That’s why they got into law enforcement…to make a difference.
I hate to break it to most of you, but it’s things like this that cause the total lack of respect for LEOs that is a huge part of the problem. They are supposed to be held to a higher standard, to set an example for the public to follow, but they do things like this and people, especially the younger generation, see a young man being injured for no reason and it adds to the FTP mentality. Thus turns the vicious circle.
How can we expect to hold the rest of society to a certain standard of behavior if we don’t hold our LEOs to an even better one?
I wonder if he will be slammed on his face during his booking.
I think everyone should read your latest story
Panhandle Corrections Officer Dies In The Line Of Duty
and understand that officers may have an attitude due to the fact they may not make it home at the end of a shift. They may never see their families, their friends…their children ever again due to someone that is “not afraid” of the police and have no regards for the law. Criminals with attitudes should not be treated as if they are a three year old with a papercut. When you have broken the law you should be treated as such, therefore you won’t want to repeat it again. I mean, Im sure if my parents would have given me icecream everytime I did something wrong, I would have like it more than the butt whoopins but I can bet I wouldn’t have stop doing the wrong, I would have just kept doing it.
This footage doesn’t show anything that this grown man cant suck up and get over. And the guy appeared to be intoxicated, so Im doubting he even felt anything. And I also can bet he was verbally abusive to the officer. I think the entire arrest, transport and booking should be seen. I hope a more thorough investigation is given before taking a criminals side over an officers side.
■David Huie Green on February 2nd, 2011 12:02 pm
If simply running afoul of the law makes you a bad person, that would include Mr. McArthur as well since he has had some minor run-ins over the years.
This is an interesting comment from Mr. Green considering the fact that a few months ago he was arguing that people that do bad things are bad people. My argurment was that sometimes a good person will make a dumb decision and do a bad thing, but it does not necessarily make them a bad person. Apparently, Mr. Green now agrees with me.
bamadude, for persuasive arguing…LOL!
This officer would no longer be on the department if I was in charge. You can clearly see that the officer brings him through the door while holding him with one hand, then after they enter the booking area the officer grabs him with both hands (one in back and one in the front), then clearly tries to pick him up and slam him forward WHILE the officer is sticking his leg out to trip the suspect. CLEARLY trying to produce bodily harm. It’s an absolute wonder this guy came away with just minor injuries. It looks like he could have easily had a dislocated shoulder, broken collar bone or even a fractured skull. Watch the video several times and notice how the suspects head bounces off the floor. I have several family members and a few close friends who work within law enforcement and they’ll tell you all the time that you must have tough skin. These officers see and hear a great deal that test their patience, but their trained to ignore the majority. This officer clearly needed to be placed in another area of interest, maybe something with a little less stress and human contact.
Do I have this wrong or what? is the primary job of LEO to Protect and Serve?They did nothing to protect or serve this young man. I respect an officer of the law, but when I saw things like this, it makes you wonder. One of the two officers with a detainee, could have done something. The sergeant (that did nothing but turn his head) should be held accountable as much as anyone else. You earn that ranking and by doing nothing in his house, makes you wonder what else he has done nothing about….You know if a person comes into jail drunk, raising cain, whatever, these are trained professionals and should be able to hold their temper. If you can not do this task, maybe look for a career change. Protect and Serve, NOT become one of the thugs only separated by a uniform. I have family in the LEO and Corrections system and I would hold them just as accountable if they did this or did nothing as we have seen these four LEO do..
How many times has he been in trouble with the law, and none of us know what was going on behind the door in the holding room. When you play with the BIG BOYS (ESCO) expect some consequences. Their doing their job. Sheriff Morgan do your investigation and let our officers come back to work. They are protecting ESCAMBIA COUNTY.
Well I think the detention deputy did a great job. He should have just walked into the room instead of bucking the detention officer. These men and women put up with a lot in the jails out of the ppl that have been ARRESTED… Meaning you broke the law ..that’s what got you there to begin with. So be a good citizen stop breaking the laws and you stay out of jail…. Pretty simple!
Remember this state attorney’s opinion: Atmore PD crosses into Florida while chasing a car with an unknow driver (who APD officers later say they thought was a wanted felon, but didn’t really know at the time – convient that this was done on the Southern Link and not the recorded radio channel) and they shoot the driver in the back of the head killing the man. This was not considered not a crime by Mr. Eddins.
“McArthur faces a maximum sentence of five years in state prison if convicted.”
Why does the officer face only 5 yrs. If this had been a civilian doing this to an officer he would have gotten much more of a sever punishment.
Throw the book at the officer , hard. There is no excuse, no matter how well writen that could or should be even considered. What he did would get anyone else a lot stiffer penelaty. If we dont hold our officers to a higher standerd….whats the point !
@noh8rs
I thank God every day for allowing me to live in a nation where we still have free speech and where everybody is different than I am. I look at 45 second video and see what I see and you look at the same video and see what you see. Everybody has their own opinion on what we see and am able to come to a place like this to give our opinions as a right of the Constitution. I will add though that I did divorce a man yrs ago who would beat his opinion in to me all the time because his opinion was the only opinion that was “the truth”.
As for my comment about calling a crackhead instead of 911. I assume nothing by my statement I was merely suggesting that if those that condemn the deputies and/or the ECS0 over a 45 second video. Should either put their application in at the SO(they are hiring) or call a crackhead if they think they are going to get a better response.
After seeing the SA’s report I have no doubt that this was a politically motivated arrest and at the expense of this deputy and almost certainly his livelihood.
Just a question , shouldn’t ALL suspects be treated as innocent until proven guilty? Or is that just for Cops being charged with crimes?
@ David Huie Green and others,
WKRG5 website had the age of Johnson as 20, it has been corrected now to 23 years old. Please disreguard the underage comments.
The original story on WKRG said Justin Johnson 20 was in Chan’s 4-5 hours before the bouncer and deputy removed him.
I accept the claim Mr. Johnson is underage, but wonder how we are to know that.
I guess it could be because I can’t see where he was openly charged with anything, so maybe he is a juvenile and the records sealed.
If simply running afoul of the law makes you a bad person, that would include Mr. McArthur as well since he has had some minor run-ins over the years.
I don’t see as much on this video as others on both sides of the question, but maybe that’s just me. I would hope the state’s attorney interviewed others who are seen as witnesses as well as whoever actually treated Mr. Johnson. It is interesting that nobody else present seemed particularly interested in what was going on–just another day at the office.
David surrounded by certain people
in an uncertain world
@ Shea……you forgot Johnson wasn’t charged for anything there was no need for him to listen to the deputy! Lol
Johnson was asked to leave and not to return the week prior for having an altercation with an African American
He doesn’t remember being told not to return
He returns the following week end, walks past the same bouncer and stays there drinking underage for 4-5 hours
What happen next? Did the bouncer all of the sudden recognize Johnson? Most likely Johnson was showing out again and after the bouncer was alerted of Johnson he then had him removed.
It’s starting to look like Johnson has a problem with following instructions or just comprehending the instructions given. Hell maybe he is just a thug that got what he needed.
@ Bobby, I agree 100%! The SA has secured the votes of anti LE needed for the next election at the expense of a deputy.
Four to Five minutes without medical attention is NOT a long time to wait. The wait was probably to give the prisoner time to calm down. Keeping your body stiff and refusing to move is defying the officer and the officer then has the right to MOVE you. If that person still resists by keeping his body stiff then he is going to fall, not the officers fault. Pulling the prisoner out of the way of furter objects that can cause harm is not unheard of either. It’s called jail for a reason. If you don’t want to be treated with force, don’t do anything to get in that situation. Can’t do the time, don’t do the crime!
The problem lies with the state’s attorney not the deputy. He is just trying to use this deputy as his poster child for justice.
@ brady simmons
well guess what there has been no problems with officer before so get off his back.
@ Tet………one of the articles said “Justin Johnson 20”, this leads me to believe that he was underage at the time this incident occurred.
@ unanswered questions…….. from my understanding FDLE did investigate this case after they were contacted by ECSO on December 9th. The state attorney’s office and FDLE both investigated it and only the SA felt there was a need to issue an arrest warrant.
How does it look like he is turning back to the door? He’s walking in, led by the LEO, who has his arm hooked through his handcuffed arms, and it doesn’t look like he’s turning around at all. It looks as though the LEO is jerking him along and then just throws him to the floor, drags him onto the mat…….and walks off and leaves him.
If the LEO didn’t do anything wrong, why does the other LEO at the bottom of the screen seem to stand there indecisively looking as if he is about to say or do something before realizing that he has his own prisoner to handle?
And for those who say that he knew he wasn’t supposed to be there and knew he was under arrest, many times these establishments tell people to leave without saying not to come back. They simply want the customer to go away and not come back until they have either sobered up or changed their attitudes. Happens all the time. He may very well have thought everything was fine, especially when the bouncer didn’t say anything when he came in nor did anyone else for the 4 or 5 hours that he was there.
When you are placed in the back of a patrol car, it does NOT mean that you have been arrested. LEOs are simply putting you there while they figure out what’s going on. I’ve gotten rides from LEOs before and sat in the back. I certainly was not under arrest. Legally, you are not considered to be arrested until you are told that you are “under arrest” or “being arrested for such and such” or “being charged with such and such”. So….unless those were done, he had no reason to think that he had been arrested.
Also, people are saying “underage” because he is only 20 years old, NOT old enough to be consuming alcoholic beverages legally. So…..is anybody going to press charges against the bartender who served him illegally? Will there be fines to be paid by Chan’s?
Just wondering
It’s always revealing how many comments are posted below stories of physical or sexual abuse. In my professional career with delinquent juveniles I fought parents’ attitudes about using a belt or hitting or otherwise beating on kids as a “discipline” effort. In the end it’s HOW corporal punishment is applied and with what kind of child. Parenting should be taught in schools. Blanket use of “spare the rod and spoil the child” dogma is idiotic.
But in this case the QUANTITY of posted comments reveals how controversial the issue is. (Immediacy: not what is SAID but what is HAPPENING..is instructive). Police are underpaid and possibly not screened well enough, but protection against physical violence is our most basic and necessary right in a free society. Fire the perpetrating officer and discipline all other officers present, is my suggestion, assuming the video is the whole story. Professional stress may also be a factor to address.
if getting arrested were fun and games then everyone would want to do it.
Please, Johnson didn’t know why he was being arrested?! I find that a bit hard to swallow along with everyone who is in jail that says they’re innocent too. After reading the so called report from the state attorney’s investagator (if you can call him that), there are plenty of questions, like who were the other three deputies or jailers and where are their statements? Why weren’t these officers charged for not rendering aid? What about the jail medic who was probably just out of view of the camera? Who was that and where is his or her statement? And why didn’t the medic render aid?
And why didn’t FDLE investigate this? Isn’t that agency charged with looking into cases like this? Looks like a weak case at best and it should be dropped before the state’s attorney looses anymore face. Remember the election is comming and Eddins is trying to get votes, but he’ll not get one from me.
I don’t have a dog in this race, but I do have some questions. Where does it say that he is underage? If he is underage, why was he allowed to drink in the first place? Was his money all gone, are was he being rowdy? The video shows only 47 sec. I’m sure the state attorney saw a lot more video, and did more intervues before decideing to bring charges.
This video shows nothing prior to the officer coming into the room. We don’t know what this boy was saying or doing prior to the force. He was alkready disobeying an order not to go back to the place in which he was arrested. Not to metnion, I thought that we were innocent until proven guilty inthis country. Seems to me that too many are too ready to throw stones at this officer.
I don’t see the deputy throwing him at all. I see the deputy using force to turn the man back around after he tried to walk back towards the door. It looked like the deputy pulled him at the same time the man was turning back towards the door causing him to fall to the ground.
Bobby, honey, WHAT video are you watching? It can’t be the same one I see because the one I see that is linked to this page plainly shows the officer grabbing the boy and throwing him to the floor. As to the blood, I looked at this video several times before I saw it. Look at the very end of the video, when the officer on the right who is dealing with the prisoner who was already in there moves. You can see the blood next to the mat that Johnson is lying on. Because it’s not in very good color, you can’t tell that it’s red but you can see it there. Look at the video at second 9 and then again at second 25 and second 43. It is there.
I’m a little confused. I went to the clerk’s site to see what kind of record this boy has and I found several listings for a Justin Paul Johnson of about that same age and with the same address but the affidavit from the state attorney says his name is Justin Daniel. Wouldn’t it be a little strange for there to be two guys by the same name at one address, same age just a different middle name?
Regardless, from what I saw on the video, I could see no reason for the officer to grab him and throw him to the ground this way. So what if he had acted up beforehand, he was cooperating at that time and the officer just snatched him up and threw him down. I don’t understand it.
Yes, our LEOs do face a lot of dangers in their occupations but…..what was the danger here? None that I could see.
VERY glad to see the video. I never saw the deputy do anything wrong or out of line. Definately a not guilty verdict. There was no “battery” that took place. It was clear that the deputy did NOT throw him on the floor and I don’t know how the state’s attorney claimed to have seen any blood. What a joke. I think the state’s attorney needs have harassment charges filed against him. It is idiots like him who cause police officers to be scared to do their jobs.
This is unbelieveable. I WILL NOT support this current sheriff or his staff next time. He and his staff are obviously not controlling their officers from the inside. I would bet this officers has a history of issues. Check public records and the actions of the sheriff and his staff. I bet the public would be suprised.
The deputy probably should have slammed him a little harder. These punks are not scared of our prison system and not scared of getting in trouble because the bleeding heart liberals protect them.
I will have to agree with an earlier poster that it appears that Johnson had stopped or was refusing to enter the door way. From my understanding an officer has the right to use one (1) level of force greater than the individual uses to resist. If this is the case then the deputy was justified to use the floor as a form of restraint. It also appears to me that the deputy attempted to lift Johnson from the floor and Johnson may have refused to get up therefore the deputy drug him 3-4 feet. (There is a 3 second pause after the deputy grabs his arms).
The report states that Johnson don’t remember being told not to return to Chan’s, being told what he was arrested for, and etc. Johnson can however remember what time he arrived at Chan’s, how long he was drinking under age there, and who he went with. It sounds to me that Johnson has a selective memory and will be rewarded for being a non law abiding punk. Is it possible that Johnson was arrested for the underage drinking, is it possible that Johnson was unable to remember these things to do his 4-5 hours of ordering drinks?
Johnson knowingly broke the law by consuming alcoholic drinks on the night of December 8th, why continue to give this punk the benefit of being innocent and not the same to a deputy sheriff?
The media wants to make it sound as if this punk was beaten up by a LEO when the video only shows him being thrown to the ground after refusing to walk through the door way.
11 stitches to area above the eye is not a life threatening injury or great bodily harm to me. This area is known to bleed easily and normally in large amounts. How many times have you been injured or injured yourself and received medical attention in less than four minutes?
IF FOUND GUILTY…..HELLO PEOPLE!! Why in the world would we have to spend our hard earned tax dollars for him to even have a trial. Just another case of our great ECSO. I would like to know where their training is coming from….the MILITARY over in GAZA??
“Unanswered Questions” wrote:
A link to the State Attorney’s Affidavit has been added to the story. Click on the graphic.
I think that people need to act right. and I can’t wait for society as a whole to get fed up with scumbags like this. In my opinion, this officer did not do anything wrong. Put me on his Jury. What it might take is a few more officers killed, and a few bleeding heart liberals to get assaulted, , or their homes burglarized. And, if it happened to a few liberal Judges families, America might be a safer place to live again. These officers have a hard job, give them a break. Imagine a court system that defendants are actually scared to get into.
Leave the other two cops in the video alone they have their own prisoner to attend to. The fact that we are seeing this video at all should tell us someone sees something going on here that is wrong.
Maybe we should have jailhouse /cop car/ courthouse TV, it would be better than Jerry Springer, and everyone would be aware that their actions are indesputable, cops and criminals alike.
Looking at this video I would have to say that the cop is in the wrong. It does not matter what happened prior to what I can see. The act itself is wrong. Let Shariff Morgan do his job, too bad it has to go this far before he can weed out the bad eggs. Funny how the system WORKS……..
William, how about getting a copy of the report and the probable cause statement from the state attorney’s office, so we can read what everyone who was there had to say happened.
The officers name is SIR. As in yes sir, no sir. Don’t care how young or old he is. You can have your day in court to disagree. If you are too dumb to figure that out, take your medicine.i.e. a roughing up by the arresting officer. He has a gun, a big stick, and has been trained on how to kick your behind if he needs too.
And there you have it folks……………..why there is NO respect for cops!
To “Shay”
Your comments are pathetic. “Tensing up?” Sounds like You are only seeing what you want to see. And if the State Attorney viewed the tape and filed charges then there must be something wrong here.
And for you to say that I should call a crackhead instead of 911 to get the results that I am looking for is very assuming on your part. What result do you think that I am looking for. I would be looking for a professional acting officer who treats citizens the way you should.
and maybe not
I agree with most of what Res stated! And Rogers is correct, officers get cussed and spit at all day sometimes. And of course if this dude was acting up for most people, they probably would have done the same thing. Drunks are not the best behaved people. And I am sure sober people would have had enough also. You really cant tell if the officer was justified or not, but knowing prisoners and drunks, I would take the officers side. An ignorant person is a lot worse when they have been drinking and if he had trespassing issues at this bar, then that would say he was trouble to begin with and probably did have attitude issues. And I am not sure why the footage was released but I dont think it should have been until a thorough investigation was done. It just seems someone is trying to make all officers look bad. And that is mostly why today’s society doesn’t think much of the police officers. And rules and regulations have gotten it to where teh prisoners are supposed to be treated better than the ones that have never been in trouble with the law.
I suggest a lot of praying.
IN MY OPINION (which is all I can give since I was not there)….
Justin Johnson stopped as they were walking in and changed his body mannerism which COULD be why the deputy was forceful with him. This COULD have been taking place the whole walk in. Also, when Justin Johnson is on the ground, the deputy lifts his hands and pauses. COULD be that he was telling Justin Johnson to get to his feet and we was refusing to move. At this point, the officer can move him. He does not have to bend at the knees and politely pick him up to move him.
With it being mentioned about an officer abusing a detainee, it is easy to look for just that….I watched the clip over and over to see if there was ANY justification. And MY OPINION, is that the force used when Justin Johnson fell may have been acceptable if he was throwing his weight backwards and the deputy had to make him go forward and he tripped. The point of him pulling him forward on the floor would be acceptable if he instructed Justin Johnson to get to his feet and he refused. And as far as being there for 4 min. without medical treatment…MAYBE the deputy was getting the first aid kit.
Based on the very few seconds of video provided by the state’s attorney, I don’t see enough to make an equitable decision one way or the other on if a “crime” was committed by the officer because there simply is not any substance there. Johnson does go down but what are the full circumstances that ended in Johnson hitting the floor like what went on from the car up to and through the door in the moments before? And what bothers me more is that sergeant jailer who is seen in the video walking away; why didn’t he rush to this poor victim’s aid if this is such a horrible incident?
How about the other two deputies, who witnessed the incident, why weren’t they charged? It’s standard protocol for them to intervene in a situation like this. Shame on him! And shame on them!
The cop should be a PROFESSIONAL no matter what. He knew what being a cop entailed before he got in the field. This cop obviously has a power trip on thinking he can do whatever he wants!!!
anyone who watches this video and defends the cop is crazy. when they come in the door the guy is not struggling with the cop and the cop clearly puts his leg out and trips him and with the guys hands cuffed behind him he can not brake his fall. then he drags him about 5 feet by his arms! the cop was out of line! and if the guy was mouthing off that is no reason to do this. i think we were all taught “sticks and stones” as a child!
Looks like the guy in hand cuffs was trying to turn left. Maybe he thought the cop wanted him to sit down on the bench. Then it looks like the cop jerked him back towards the door they were headed for and he might have tripped over his own feet. All looks ok up to that point. What I have trouble with is that the cop drug him by the handcuffs into the room – arms don’t bend that way while the hands are cuffed together. He could have pulled his arms out of socket.
No matter what Johnson did or said to the cops bringing him in, at this point he didn’t present any danger and should not have been dragged on the floor in that manner. McArthur should have kept his cool. Aren’t cops supposed to be able to do that? I wouldn’t want a cop like that protecting me – he’d probably push me into an incoming bullet instead of taking one for me.
By McArthur losing his cool he has put the department at risk and a possible burden on the tax payers of Escambia County.
Most cops I’ve met are nice and reasonable and do a good job – too bad there are always a few who totally become possessed and are bullys when they don the uniform.
I think Sheriff Morgan is doing a good job.
@Rogars, Why do you say that a civil rights group will call the officer a racist? Both of these men are of the same race. You sound STUPID!!!!!
Cops put up with to much BS. This younge generation has no respect for anyone, not even cops. These officers get up everday and go out to protect u and I, rain or shine. As the news said it was after midnight so if I was a betting man i bet he was out doing something he should have not been doing. Think about if he was at a bar and drove home and killed someone you know, u would be very upset. Im not saying what he did was right but there are always two sides of the story. Show respect to cops!
I am glad the video came out. citizens need to see what happens on the other side. there is a real problem here and I hope it is corected. guilty or not (unknown until after trial) no one deserves to have their civil rights violated like this. if officers do not think this is a violation, they too should wait for trial as a civil suite will probably follow, and see what the judge says. if officers can not follow the law they need to find a new job. if a citizen did this to someone it would be battery.
@ Shane, after reading your post I can’t help but to ask your knowledge of how our judicial system works. You stated “Since a battery is a violent crime, he should not be able to carry a weapon and should lose his job at the SO. He should also have to seek counseling, at his own expense, and should be a convicted felon.” Do you wish to be found guilty of a crime without a trial or court appearance? What part of “innocent till proven guilty” do you not understand? You made a post as if you were the jury and judge and would find someone guilty with only one side of the story.
I’m assuming that you feel that a convicted felon can continue to work as a law enforcement officer or be hired as one? Are you unaware that a felon cannot own or be in possession of a firearm, therefore he would be unable to maintain in the current line of work?
You should really consider educating yourself on our judicial system cause judging by your knowledge of it you’ll need it to be treated fairly when your day comes.
Here is the question of the day for you Shane!
What are the 3 branches of government in the United States?
I’ll give you the first two nope; Obama is not the third branch
1) Executive
2) Legislative
3) ____________
@noh8trs
What more must the sheriffs deputies of escambia county do to keep you and your neighbors safe? We have had many situations just since 2011 started where many of our LEO’s have been shot at and in three cases hit. Perhaps sir/ma’am that the next time you or smeone in your family has the occasion to call 911 that perhaps you should call a crackhead instead. Perhaps you will get the results you were hoping for then
Unfortunately what is wrong with the system today is that nobody respects law enforcement the way we should….none of us. Law enforcement officers of all areas put their lives on the line for us everyday….just like our military, they protect us. Respect is what these guys need. We do not know what took place before the incident that was shown, therefore it would be premature to make allegations against this deputy presuming his guilt. To all you criminals and those of you who defend them, this officer deserves to tell his side of the story too! Deputy Zac MacArthur….you have my support!
To the people who think they can do it better stop talking and put your application in and get a taste of what the deputies really go through everyday. Its easy to judge people from the comfort of your couch.
If you’re tired of the race card being used…why say “I’m a proud black man” ???
I’m not sure where the “racist” thing started but both the deputy and Mr.Johnson are caucasian, I believe.
I say we just go back to the old days where everyone wears a gun and you can be your own judge and jury…Because all of your post just threw our justice system right out the door….Innocent until proven guilty? So where can I go to see this video that you have seen that proves this man guilty before he even gets to court????? Is the video of the whole day or just enough to show you what the media want’s you to see… I myself a Proud Black man born and raised in the united states. Am tired or the race card being played and all the thugs in the world the so called ” African American youth ” who fill they are owed something because way back before their parents were born their great grandfather was a slave or were related to a slave or something like that…But they are owed nothing more then what they earn in an honest day….You say the young man did nothing? Why was he in jail? Protective custody? Wrong guy? Obviously the police and the D.A. thought they had reason and the right person.
@shane…you are right being a police officer isn’t a higher calling. If I had to venture a guess I would say that most of the men and women who join law enforcement do it because they feel they can make a difference in their communities. God knows it isn’t for the work hours,the income or the nice environment they work in everyday to keep you and your family safe giving up any chance of a normal life for themselves.
As far as no charges being brought against Mr. Johnson, there are a number of reasons why that may be but innocence I’m sure isn’t one of them.
Again you are correct when you say their is no audio and yes, you have seen the tape, as have thousands of others, but what you can’t see on the video perhaps is Mr.Johnson tensing up leaving the deputy feeling like he was in danger and had no choice but to subdue the threat.
My point is that we don’t know what happen that night. We only see what we see on a video and assume that this deputy is now a bad guy. We can’t see or know what the video doesn’t show us.
Let’s also not pretend that a criminal has never made false accusations against an officer before to try to get out of charges. Which seems to have worked for this man.
This case will be investigated thoroughly by investigators and rest assured if this deputy handled himself and the situation incorrectly then he will be dealt with. He will not get away with anything just because he wears a uniform. Charlie Morris and the other LEO’s that have brought shame to themselves and to their brothers and sisters in blue because of their actions proves that.
Unfortunately bro, the civil rights groups will show up and start calling the deputy a racist, and he slammed him because of that. Then the family will show up on tv and say how great of a son the inmate was, how much he went ot church..etc..and that they only want justice….oh and 2 million dollars.
Come on Sheriff Morgan,Support this officer to the hilt. No officer that I know and the list is long,would ever treat any one with such disrespect without provocation. You never hear the average citizen complaining about the law enforcement,it is always the young punks and overprotective parents and people that have a total disregard for the department that will do all the whining.
@Shane….i also 100% agree…they need a “like” option on here
My some time in jail for this cop would refresh his memory on how to treat people. With that being said the system is corrupt, watch him just get suspended for a few days with pay, thats a vacation
@ it might not matter
well i am sorry you feel that way. i have family members myself who are in law enforcement in escambia and santa rosa counties and one who is retired from escambia. i as well know what happens to these officers every day.
Shane—–WELL PUT. I agree 100%. Maybe all who think the officer was right in what he did should be subjected to the same treatment just to see the reactions change.
How can anyone justify any kind of mistreatment or battery just because it came from an leo?
As it was said before me, if they can’t handle the pressure and the kind of people they have to deal with, then find another job, because we in Escambia County don’t need or want this kind of protection.
I guess this officer WILL be looking for another job soon.
I do the same line of work and that deputy should get a medal!
Cmon bro, i would have done the same thing, he was resisting bro. probably trying to escape. Good job Deputy
@Seriously
I have NEVER been arrested! so to say people who object to what cops do are criminals is STUPID! and if you say we don’t know what happened then nether do you! I have an ECSD married to my Niece and he has told stories of the foul stuff they have done,so i have heard it first hand from one of there own!
The same justification is brought up over and over and it is really pathetic. “You should walk a mile in their shoes,” “You don’t know what they go through….” Officers pick this profession. This is not a higher calling. If they don’t want to deal with the problems that arise from it, then don’t do it. With that being said, they are trained to deal with people on a daily basis. If they can’t handle them properly then they do not need to be doing that job! PERIOD!
Everyone calling this kid a criminal obviously didn’t read the story. The states attorney said they were NOT filing ANY criminal charges against Mr. Johnson. If there were any charges to be filed they would have done so just to cover themselves. This means that the officer attacked an innocent civilian. Just because he was told to leave the club doesn’t mean that he committed a crime or one would have been filed. Who cares what was said on the audio? From the video, Mr. Johnson was not attacking or fighting the officer. It doesn’t matter if every word out of his mouth was a cuss word. Nothing he said verbally would justify an attack on his person. The officer should be able to handle verbal insults.
From the video, the facts seem clear. The officer is the criminal who attacked a civilian who had no criminal charges filed against him. The officer should be punished and treated like any other criminal. Since a battery is a violent crime, he should not be able to carry a weapon and should lose his job at the SO. He should also have to seek counseling, at his own expense, and should be a convicted felon.
To justify his actions based on his position is ridiculous. Not only should that not justify his actions, it should make him even more accountable. If it was a regular civilian who through another person to the ground with his hands behind his back, then drug him from his arms across this floor, you would be screaming for maximum jail time. This is no different except this officer, or criminal, should have know better and acted professionally.
Job well done in my book. I guarantee that deputy was kicked at and spit on prior to this incident. For all those who think this force was excessive, you have no idea what it’s like to walk in the shoes of a law enforcement official. We don’t need to persecute the officers for the stupidity of some drunk underage punk.
okay come on people not one of you that are bad mouthing the officers for escambia county even have one clue what happened there. not one of you have the first clue what an officer goes through every single day. they put up with people like this every day! no one knows what actually happened there because the camera shows basically nothing of what happened, there was no audio, and he was obviously drunk and belligerent. the only ones who know are the deputy that had to put up with the man or the “victim”. when one of you ever puts on a pair of deputies shoes and works one shift you will actually think “wow what was i saying about these guys, i mean they actually have to put up with things like this on a daily baises”. okay i admit there are some crappy deputies out there but come on there are over 400 deputies out there serving the public. the only ones who bad mouth them are criminals themselves or one day will be or they just have a problem with the laws set as they are. these guys put their lives on the line every day for your health and well being and all you people do is bad mouth them no matter what they do. they take bullets for you all and this is all you have to say. just seriously stop bad mouthing them if they have NOT actually done something wrong. this deputy has not and YOU ALL KNOW IT so shut up and go on about your criminal activities!!!
dont get me wrong…there is alot of fine and outstanding young men and women protecting us in the law enforcement department…but iv seen it first hand in my own family that once most of them get that little badge making them a sworn officer of the law they think they are untouchable and everyone should do as they ask and demand…and they think they are NEVER wrong and ALWAYS right…i appreciate all the help and good for the community the good officers do but sadly they are overrun and overshadowed by the bad and wrong all the others do
oh i love how people just rush to the defense of the cop! face it people police officers are human and they can get out of line. you can be handcuffed and put in a cop car without being arrested. its called being detained. and by the time they arrived at the jail Mr Johnson was already in cuffs. and there were plenty of cops around to help if he was out of line. if you dont think cops abuse people and plant drugs on people then you have your head in the sand. look it up on youtube and you can find video of it. cops have a hard job but they are NOT!
Southern..the camera coverage has been splashed all over the news. What they don’t have is audio and as someone else has pointed out no footage from the sally port. It makes you think if the other deputies didn’t do anything to help the “criminal” in this case and because there are cameras everywhere why would anyone jeopardize their job for a thug? When there is an obvious war on our law enforcement and first responders, why Sheriff Morgan would you throw one of your own under the bus. Oh wait I forgot this is not the first time that has happen in this administration.
Why did WEAR 3 not show what happened before the door was opened for the deputy? We know what happened in the end but what happened before. Someone please show what was going on before the door was opened! There has to be a camera in the sally port that should show that.
let the officer go
Whatever happen to innocent until proven guilty? They have already tried this deputy by showing the camera footage. More political rhetoric from the sounds of it.
I am sure the ‘victim’ was innocent… yea right.
While it is unfortunate, any who would throw stones at the officer ought to walk a mile in his shoes first.
Thanks to all the fine men and women of the ECSO, bless you for your service to us all.
Interesting! Mr. Johnson was trespass warned from the establishment. Usually a trespass warning for such an establishment has to do with one’s inability to control their behavior and have acted in a minor that is dangerous to others (be intoxicated and fighting maybe). So Mr. Johnson shouldn’t have been clueless why Deputy McArthur and a bouncer would be removing him from the establishment. Even after having been there four to five hours during which time he probably enjoyed at least a few alcoholic beverages. Personally I know if I went where the law has told me I can’t go and told me if I return I will go to jail, when I go back there and find myself in the backseat of a patrol that I’m under arrest for trespassing. The story does not tell if Mr. Johnson did anything that prior to Deputy McArthur taking him to the ground. Law enforcement use of force continuum allows officers to go one level higher than the level of resistance the suspect is at. So if Mr. Johnson was verbally resisting and physically tensing Deputy McArthur maybe very well within the use of force continuum by taking the suspect to the ground. I BELIEVE (not 100% sure) at that resistance level Deputy McArthur may have been within the continuum to use a taser or strikes. According to the story Mr. Johnson said that he only remembers his head slamming into the floor, I wonder if the limited memory is due to a brown out caused by intoxication, which could also be why Mr. Johnson hit his head when he was taken down in the first place. The story says he was treated for a laceration but not a concussion to account for memory loss. I have to wonder what Mr. Johnson’s blood alcohol level was at the time of the incident. Since he was trespass warned from a drinking establishment Mr. Johnson may not be a very cooperative drunk. As for the blood pouring from his face and leaving a trail on the ground, anyone who has been around very long knows that lacerations to the face/head bleed profusely due to the area being very vascular even if the injury is relatively minor. For Mr. Johnson to know enough to say he wanted to harm himself to receive medical attention would lead me to believe this isn’t his first rodeo, to know that would get him plenty of personal attention. I haven’t seen the video in this case so this is some good ole fashion common sense filling in the blanks. (Speculation) I agree if Deputy McArthur went above and beyond the use of force continuum then he should be punished, guess we will have to wait and see the video and get all the facts.
God I pray your protection over our emergency response personnel, keep them safe and send them home to their families at the end of their sift. I pray for you to send them guidance and wisdom in their decision making, as often there isn’t much time to make life and death decisions. I thank you for their service and protection. Amen
Seems like it is far from a felony assault charge. This would not even constitute assault in Alabama. Harassment at best. I am not justifying the deputy’s actions but seems a little extreme or politically motivated by the states attorney’s office to me. Four minutes is not a long time at all. My question is what kind of medical attention did the prisoner require and what kind of medical attention would anyone expect a deputy (who is not trained medical personel) to give. Another thing…. the prisoner is obviously not an honest person in the first place or he wouldn’t have returned to the bar so use caution when believing anything he says.
Why does the one bad apple spoil the bunch? You have a few officers that are not doing their job the right way, and it puts a mark on the 10,000+ that are following rules and procedures. Yes, the bad ones need to be punished, but why punish them all.
Kinda dumb of this deputy. . .he had to know there were cameras catching all of this. And it seems to me that the other deputies just standing there doing nothing should be punished as well.
There is probably more to this and if this is true and the officer wasnt provoked or anything, then the officer should be punished, they dont have a right to hurt people just because but if he was provoked then this should be looked at also.
Seems to me that if you are thrown into the back of a police car,your pretty much under arrest. Why would someone have to tell you. Looks like Mr. Johnson will get meg-a-bucks from the Sheriffs Office so he can continue his low life style.
This is funny. Maybe one day cops will relize they are not better then everyone. They need to learn that yes they have authority but ONLY to a CERTAIN extent!