TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A newly released video from the Tallahassee Police Department Thursday shows what led up to one officer hitting Jacquez Kirkland with a baton.
The officer was trying to arrest him for Driving Under the Influence.
The video was released just three days after an 8-second video showing an officer hitting Kirkland with a baton went viral.
Bodycam and surveillance video show a different view of what happened.
"Giving the public the chance to see what all the social media buzz was about," said Dr. Rashad Mujahid.
Mujahid, who is Chair of the Citizens Police Review Board said with the video being released early, the public gets a chance to see what happened with their own eyes.
He's talking about a video that was circling social media earlier this week.
"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can or will be used against you in the court of law," an officer said to Kirkland.
The video begins with Kirkland on the sidewalk he has already been asked to step out of the car by officers on the scene.
According to officers, he was asleep inside and there was a noticeable smell of alcohol.
Kirkland was moved near the Metro by T-Mobile where a sobriety test was given, he failed.
Officers tell him he is under arrest and asks Kirkland to put his hands behind his back to be handcuffed.
Then a struggle begins, shortly after all cameras go black while they try to cuff him.
"Get off me quit grabbing me, stop resisting get down stop resisting give me your hands now," an officer said.
A surveillance camera caught what happened when the cameras were in black.
It appears two officers pulled out a baton, one officer used his hitting Kirkland three times.
They later got Kirkland on his feet and put him in a patrol car where EMS later checked him for injuries.
He is then taken to jail.
"In light of the six to eight seconds that was shown, the video that went viral of course that gave people some pause. That gave them some emotions because they didn't see what led up to that particular situation," said Pastor Rudy Ferguson chair of the TPD Citizens Advisory Council.
Ferguson said now that the footage is out they will make a decision on if aligns with use of force policy.
Kirkland's attorney, Mutaqee Akbar, released a statement to ABC 27 after the video release saying:
"The video is disturbing. This type of policing should not exist in policy or our police department. Questioning does not mean combative. Rude does not mean violent. Potentially intoxicated does not invite excessive force."
TPD said the officers' actions were justified under their use of force policy.
Now this footage will be reviewed by the citizens.
"Give us an opportunity to express how we view it as a board," said Mujahid.
There has been no word if any legal action will be taken from Kirkland at this time.
