FOX 4 NEWS
The Florida Highway Patrol officer who tased a Lee County teen, violated policy. The officer tased a teen after he looked “suspicious” darting through the bushes.
Said Sawyer C. Smith, Rodeman’s attorney, “they’re kids. Kids walk to where they need to go, and kids cut through bushes.”
Florida Highway Patrol policy states "tasers should only be used when there's a sudden attack or active resistance." Rodeman's actions are consiered passive resistance.
NBC2 NEWS
A Lee County teenager who was tased and placed in juvenile detention, won’t be charged.
Said Sayer C. Smith, Rodeman’s attorney, But with the State Attorney’s Office dismissing the charges, it tells this young man that he didn’t do anything wrong”
WINK NEWS
Jack Rodeman, a Lee County teen who was tased by a Florida Highway Patrol officer, will not have charges pressed against him.
Said Sawyer C. Smith, Rodeman’s attorney, “When you tase a young man, Ms. Fox is going to stand in between you and that young man and protect his rights.”
Attorney Smith is now focusing on suing Florida Highway Patrol.
Rodeman’s attorney, Sawyer Smith, said he will fight to get the charges dropped and will go after Florida Highway Patrol.
“There is no place in a free society for the government to inflict physical abuse on a child”, said Sawyer C. Smith. “We will prosecute a civil case against Florida Highway Patrol until the very end.”
Terry Cramer, the man’s attorney, said Lobos’ reputation as a family man and hard-working business owner is still at stake.
“His friends wouldn’t talk to him anymore,” said attorney Terry Cramer. “His family didn’t know what to think. And it was a mistaken identity. He just wants to clear his name. He wants to move on with his life.”
Daniel Garza, the attorney for the girl’s mother, sees things a little differently than the police officers who claim they were doing what was necessary to protect the child.
“She expects them to come and de-escalate the situation. She expects them to talk to her and help figure out how to get her daughter under control,” Garza said. “Not drag her into a car and Baker Act her or call EMS to inject her with something. Not that, for sure not that.”
Daniel Garza, the victim’s attorney, said the former deputy violated a rule central to the mission of law enforcement.
“We expect law enforcement,” Garza said. “We expect those people that we put in that position of power, that position of authority to protect us.”
Attorney Daniel Garza said the investigation process may take a while.
“If nothing was done wrong on the part of the driver, then we don’t want to see her with criminal charges,” Garza said. “They’re going to do an investigation to make sure that they can establish that that person was actually the one driving.”
And there is the confession, but Garza said that isn’t enough for a decision by law enforcement.
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