through YouTube/James Hodges
Florida deputies could also be in sizzling water after a video went viral of them arresting a person who mentioned he was legally blind for seemingly nothing, with Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter conceding Monday that he was “troubled” by the footage.
The video, obtained and posted on YouTube by the person arrested within the incident, exhibits two deputies inserting James “Jim” Hodges in handcuffs for refusing to determine himself. The 61-year-old repeatedly attests that he owes the cops nothing as a result of he hadn’t dedicated against the law.
The 2 deputies didn’t heed his pleas, nonetheless, arresting Hodges on a cost of resisting arrest with out violence. It carried a $1,000 bail, an arrest affidavit says.
After the video went viral, a spokesperson informed The Day by day Beast on Monday that the deputies concerned are beneath inner investigation.
“Sheriff Hunter is troubled by what he has seen within the video and the matter is being addressed,” the spokesperson mentioned in an announcement over the cellphone. “If coverage violations are sustained on the conclusion of that investigation, acceptable motion will probably be taken.”
In keeping with an arrest affidavit, the incident started on Halloween morning when Deputy Jayme Gohde watched Hodges cross the road regardless of a crosswalk beacon indicating he ought to wait. Gohde tells Hodges she stopped him as a result of she thought he was carrying a weapon in his again pocket.
Hostility between Gohde and Hodges is current from early within the change. The deputy requested Hodges what was in his again pocket and the 61-year-old shot again that it was his strolling stick, together with some alternative phrases.
“It’s a navigational assist, what’s the issue, are you a tyrant?” Hodges says.
“Yeah, I'm, really,” Gohde responds. “What’s your title and date of start?”
A heated argument ensues, with Gohde threatening to handcuff Hodges until he identifies himself, whereas Hodges declares he doesn’t should as a result of he has not dedicated against the law.
The body-camera captures glimpses of Hodges’ again pocket and clearly exhibits he's carrying a silver, foldable strolling stick.
Regardless, Gohde insists that Hodges should determine himself as a result of he’s beneath investigation for suspicion of carrying a firearm. When the deputy insists that she’s nonetheless not sure of what he’s carrying, he whips the stick out and holds it in entrance of him.
“You don’t should be a dick to me,” Gohde says to Hodges.
“Properly you’re being one to me,” he shoots again.
YouTube/James Hodges
Hodges then questions whether or not he’s being detained, and Gohde says, “Sure, you're.” Hodges requests to talk to her supervisor, to which Gohde gleefully replies, “He’s proper right here.”
Across the video’s minute mark, Hodges walks to a second deputy, who was not named in an arrest affidavit, and briefly explains what occurred. The second deputy tells him the strolling stick “might appear to be a weapon” and that he must determine himself.
“Do you've an ID?” the cop yells. Hodges replies, “I do have an ID however you don’t want it.”
When Hodges nonetheless refuses, each officers transfer to position him in handcuffs. He doesn’t seem to withstand bodily however continues to exclaim that the deputies have “no proper to go looking” him as they undergo his pockets.
Hodges then tells the deputies that he needs their names, badge numbers, and playing cards.
With Hodges handcuffed, the second deputy asks him if he’s legally blind. The 61-year-old replies that he's, and that’s why he carries the strolling stick regardless that he doesn’t all the time want it.
Hodges informed deputies that he had jury responsibility, which was simply canceled, and he’d used the stick to assist him stroll at midnight to the courthouse in Lake Metropolis, Florida, about 45 miles north of Gainesville.
Deputies seem to run a fast background verify on Hodges. The 61-year-old stares straight ahead till the verify is full.
“Alright, Mr. Hodges, was that that onerous?” Gohde is captured saying.
“It’s gonna be,” he responds. “I need your title and badge quantity.”
Hodges’ request seems to strike a nerve with the unnamed deputy, and he tells Gohde to arrest Hodges on a resisting arrest cost. Gohde then escorts the person to her cruiser and locations him within the again.
Gohde didn't return a name or textual content to a quantity listed in her title. Public data present that she’s 28 and lives in Lake Metropolis.
Sgt. Steven Khachigan informed The Day by day Beast that deputies will launch the outcomes of its investigation—and doable self-discipline—to its Fb web page. He didn't say how lengthy the investigation is anticipated to take.
A jail log exhibits that Hodges spent 26 hours in custody earlier than being launched on his personal recognizance. He couldn't be reached for touch upon Monday.