Witness: Video of woman beaten by officer doesn't tell all

Officer fired after video showed him hitting Mayra Martinez in handcuffs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A viral video showing a woman being beaten by a rookie Jacksonville officer two weeks ago doesn't tell the whole story, according to another man who is seen in the video.

The sheriff fired officer Akinyemi Borisade after cameras captured footage of him repeatedly striking Mayra Martinez while she was in handcuffs.

Video released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office shows Martinez, who was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, being struck repeatedly in the abdomen by the same officer at the jail until she passes out.

Also seen in the video was Lucious Richardson, who was wearing a basketball jersey and was also in handcuffs. He was under arrest for driving on a suspended license and parole violation.

WATCH: I-TEAM interview with Mayra Martinez

Richardson, who got out of jail two days ago, watched the violent incident go down, including what happened after the video released by JSO ends.

He watched the video with News4Jax on Friday and described what was happening.

He said words were exchanged before Borisade is seen shoving Martinez against a wall.

“I see them getting into it, and at this point I go, 'This could work out one or two ways: It could go good for them or could go bad for all of us,'” Richardson said. “Mayra did attempt to kick the cop, yes. I will say that. I saw that with my own eyes. She barely brushed the man with her foot.”

Richardson said he was surprised by what happened next.

“He punched her in the gut once, punched her in the chest area about twice, and on the last strike, he hit her in the mouth,” Richardson said. “At this point, I am like, 'Wow, I can't believe it. I can't believe it.' I didn't know what was going on.”

Richardson said that even though he was handcuffed, he wanted to step in.

“I thought about jumping in and trying to prevent it, and I think we all know how that would have played out,” Richardson said.

He said what happened next was what really upset him.

“The way she hit her head was on pure concrete. She lost consciousness and fell and her head hit the concrete with a thud,” Richardson said.

In the video, Martinez can be seen sitting up, and that is where the video released by JSO ends.

Richardson detailed what happened after that.

“She was knocked out. She stayed down there for about 7 or 10 minutes,” Richardson said. “Paramedics came. They revived her with smelling salts. It took about 3 or 4 minutes to revive her with the smelling salts, because she was still knocked out. It took about 3 minutes to regain consciousness, and once she regained consciousness, she kept asking what had happened.”

Richardson said he wants something to be done, particularly to the other officers who are seen in the video standing around during the altercation.

“All three cops in that vicinity should have -- something should be done,” he said. “There is no way you can sit there and watch a female get beat up.”

JSO has not said anything about possible discipline against those officers.

Background on officer accused in beating

Borisade was immediately fired after the altercation. His personnel records, obtained Friday by the I-TEAM, showed no previous complaints against him.

He had been on the street for just a year.

His file is thin, showing only his police academy record, when he was hired by JSO and his record for being fired after the beating incident.

A second officer was also dispatched to arrest Martinez at Scores gentleman's club on the Southside after complaints that she would not leave the property.

Officer Nathan Vickery has also been on the street for just a year.

He worked for the sheriff's office as a community service officer and in the jail before he became a patrolman last August.

Martinez's arrest report said both officers had to use force to take Martinez to the ground to arrest her and that she began kicking and biting them. It also said Borisade struck her in the back until she complied.

The takedown was also caught on video by a driver in the parking lot.


About the Authors

Jim Piggott is the reporter to count on when it comes to city government and how it will affect the community.

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.

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