JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said Wednesday that a woman’s story about alleged police misconduct during a December crash was disproven by body-worn camera video.
The woman, Emogenne King, told the story during a public gathering Friday on the steps of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office headquarters during a gathering held by Pastor R.L. Gundy and other activists calling for police reform.
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Action News Jax did not originally share King’s story about the crash when she told it Friday because we could not independently verify her claims.
The crash happened Dec. 3 on Interstate 10 near McDuff Avenue, Waters said. The Florida Highway Patrol was the lead agency investigating the crash and JSO was called to assist with traffic control.
The video shows the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to take King to the hospital.
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King alleged that:
- JSO officers yelled at her.
- JSO wrongly conducted a driving-under-the-influence investigation.
- Her mother was refused access to the scene.
- JSO failed to investigate the crash (the Florida Highway Patrol was the lead agency).
- She was treated like a criminal by JSO.
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All allegations of misconduct by officers are investigated, Waters said. JSO found no misconduct in this case after reviewing the officers’ body-worn camera video, he said.
Waters said he supports free speech, but said he will call out wrong information.
“Gundy’s gathering was not about sharing the truth, but pushing an anti-police narrative,” Waters said.
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Waters encouraged the public and the media to review the full body-worn camera video, which he said JSO posted on its Transparency page, with some parts taken out where required by law.
You can watch the videos, which have been posted on the Action News Jax YouTube page, below:
Action News Jax’s Nick Gibson spoke with Gundy at his own news conference after Waters’ news conference.
“I will not call a public official a liar. But I think someone is lying to Sheriff T.K. Waters,” Gundy said.
King, who was also there, said what Waters said on Wednesday hurts.
“When I got the call, I broke down. I’m sorry, I’m trying not to do it right now, that hurts. I don’t have to make this stuff up, I don’t have an agenda behind it,” she said. “I just want them to do what’s right.”
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Gundy said despite not seeing the video, he still believes King.
“I don’t want them to discredit someone who almost lost their life. She said it happened. I believe it happened. I got 2 witnesses who say they tried to do the breathalyzer test,” Gundy said.
King said she wants those officers to be retrained, and for JSO to let them know they were wrong. Gundy said he wants the body camera videos to be released in their entirety.
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