YULEE, Fla. – A Nassau County man claims police went too far when they arrested him last March after an 18-hour standoff.
An officer said William Desmond Jr., 57, had a gun inside the motor home where he was barricaded in Yulee and pointed it at him. Desmond denies the allegations and said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office SWAT team members, who were assisting the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, hit him with sponge rounds and then fired a Taser at him.
Desmond, a Navy veteran, said he knows his rights and knew he didn't have to come out of his home until police got a warrant. Desmond said the standoff began because he was fighting with his ex-girlfriend, and she told police he was suicidal.
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In a video shot by a neighbor of the final minutes of the 18-hour standoff, SWAT officers can be heard telling Desmond they have a warrant for his arrest and he needs to come out of the trailer.
JSO SWAT team officers used a battering ram to punch a hole into Desmond's motor home, then filled it with teargas. Moments later, he came out and appeared to fall to the ground. Officers approached him, then shot him with two non-lethal rounds and seconds later hit him with a Taser.
"It was excruciating," Desmond said. "I didn't know anything about rubber bullets. I thought I was shot really the first two times."
Desmond has been in the Nassau County Jail for the past 11 months, charged with aggravated assault on law enforcement, because one of the officers claimed Desmond pointed a gun at him in a threatening manner.
Desmond is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond and doesn't have the money to get out. He said about six months ago prosecutors offered him a plea agreement, where if he pleaded guilty he'd get out on time served, but he said he wouldn't sign it because he did nothing wrong and he's standing up for what's right.
Desmond said he wasn't suicidal and wasn't dangerous. He did have guns inside his home, but they were legal and he never threatened anyone.
"I still was told I hadn't done anything wrong that I had to come outside," Desmond said. "And I said, 'No, I don't. It's my Fourth Amendment right that I don't have to come outside.'"
Nassau County Undersheriff George Lueders said deputies responded after getting calls that Desmond was armed and distraught. After several hours, they called Jacksonville's SWAT team for help.
"Apparently JSO thought he might still have access to a weapon, that's the reason he was taken down like he was," said Lueders, who watched the video of the takedown Wednesday. "I can't talk about their tactics or why they took the action. All I know is there's three factors (that) were met. In other words, he didn't require hospitalization for his injuries, they were not severe. I think it was successful."
Desmond is fighting the charges. Months ago he went to trial but the jurors deadlocked. In March, he'll be tried again.
"I believe that in the long run, and this is taking a lot of my time, but our system does work in the long run," Desmond said. "And eventually it's going to come out clearly for me."
ONLINE: Petition to support William Desmond
JSO has not yet responded to a request for comment.
If convicted Desmond faces up to 15 years in prison. He said he hopes he can clear his name and get on with his life, spending time with his children and grandchildren.