JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The man at the center of the September 2023 viral and violent Jacksonville arrest video announced a federal lawsuit against "those responsible" Thursday afternoon.
On Sept. 29, 2023, 24-year-old Le'Keian Woods was arrested after running from Jacksonville sheriff's officers during a traffic stop. He was pulled over for "an alleged seatbelt violation," a news release from Woods' attorneys states.
A police report on the incident states that Woods was struck 17 times during his arrest, as his mugshot released three days later gained significant attention due to it showing a badly beaten face and eyes swollen shut.
He was initially arrested on four charges related to drug trafficking and possession, and two others of resisting an officer and tampering with evidence, but later, the State Attorney's Office said it was not pursuing three of the drug-related charges.
Then, in a plea deal on April 22, Woods pleaded guilty to resisting an officer without violence, to which then the two remaining charges were dropped.
Video that captured part of the incident First Coast News obtained from a bystander, shows multiple officers standing and kneeling over Woods. At one point, an officer picked him up and slammed him onto the grass. The sheriff's office's body camera footage was released the same day Woods' mugshot was released - Oct. 2, 2023.
In the incident, four Jacksonville sheriff's officers were involved: Detective Beau P. Daigle, now-former Detective Josue Garriga, Detective Trey McCullough and Detective Hunter Sullivan. They are all listed on the lawsuit.
"The Defendants' [officers'] actions and use of force, as described herein, were also malicious and/or involved reckless, callous, and deliberate indifference to Mr. Woods’ federally protected rights," the lawsuit says. "The force used by the Defendants shocks the conscience and violated the Fourth Amendment right of Mr. Woods."
The lawsuit further states Woods "continues to suffer ongoing emotional distress, with significant PTSD type symptoms, including sadness, anxiety, stress, anger, depression, frustration, sleeplessness, nightmares and flashbacks from his assault."
In a press conference held on the steps of the federal courthouse in Duval County Thursday afternoon, one of Woods' attorneys, Harry Daniels, said his law firm anticipates "making amendments to this complaint, specifically with claims against [the] Jacksonville Sheriff's Office... the city of Jacksonville, as well as other claims." He added that they're not seeking a specific amount in damages.
"I wanna be very clear, we're not filing this lawsuit just for the appeasement of Le'Keian, on his mother, on his family, this lawsuit has been filed to try to seek a measure of justice," Daniels said. "A measure of justice that as a man, or a jury, or a judge can only give to one. I think that it's time that we acknowledge that something is fundamentally wrong with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office."
The lawsuit adds Woods is still under the care of a medical physician.