JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man whose arrest sparked outrage online and raised questions about the use of force policy at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has pleaded guilty to one charge of resisting police without violence, a misdemeanor.
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Several of the charges against Le’Keian Woods were either downgraded or dropped altogether. He was originally facing two counts of armed trafficking and drug charges, but those charges were dropped, and his original charge of resisting an officer with violence was replaced with resisting without violence.
Woods was sentenced to 9 days in jail and released after getting credit for time served.
“By pleading guilty to resisting officers during his lawful arrest and being adjudicated guilty, Le’Keian Woods is held accountable for his actions last September,” the State Attorney’s Office said in a statement to News4JAX. “The defendant offered this plea to the State. It is an appropriate resolution based on the facts of the case and the circumstances giving rise to Officer Garriga’s recent indictment.”
Josué Garriga, who was accused of using excessive force during the arrest Woods’ arrest in September, was recently arrested and is facing a federal charge after he was accused in a sex crime investigation with an underage teen.
A JSO body-worn police video captured a foot chase in a Jacksonville neighborhood showing the voice of Garriga telling Woods to stop fighting, following attempts to escape as police conducted a traffic stop.
The Department of Justice cleared Garriga and other officers, but because of the recent allegations against the former JSO officer, his name was added to the “Brady List.”
The Brady List requires the prosecutor to disclose to the defense any material exculpatory evidence, including evidence that could be used to impeach police witnesses. The State Attorney’s Office has to review all the criminal cases in which Garriga could be called as a witness.
In the days after Woods’ arrest, Sheriff T.K. Waters responded to the criticism, saying the video was manipulated and did not tell the full story.