JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dwon Ellis was arrested during a traffic stop by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 9, 2024. The stop came after Ellis was pulled over for running two stop signs.
According to the arrest report, officers Hendricks and Murphy searched Ellis’ vehicle. The report states Ellis “began to actively physically resist by turning his body.” The officers handcuffed him after he continued to resist.
Onlookers recorded the incident, capturing moments when Officer Murphy slapped Ellis multiple times. The police report does not mention these slaps.
Bodycam footage shows one of the slaps during the arrest.
Ellis said during the traffic stop, an officer slapped him repeatedly. “This man just slapped the ((bleep)) for nothing, bruh. I don’t appreciate that,” Ellis said in the video.
When the officer said it was because Ellis was resisting, Ellis replied, “I ain’t did ((bleep)) to you, you can’t get mad at me because your ((bleep)) at going together.”
The officer warned Ellis to stop pushing against them, but Ellis denied doing so before being slapped again.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed Officer Murphy was suspended for eight days after an internal complaint was investigated.
On Friday, Ellis’ attorney, Stephen Kelly, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against multiple officers, Sheriff T.K. Waters, and the City of Jacksonville. The lawsuit alleges violations of Ellis’ Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights, excessive force, failure to intervene, fabrication of evidence, false reporting, and municipal liability under Monell.
Ellis, 32, said he still vividly remembers the incident and hopes his lawsuit will prevent others from experiencing similar treatment.
“I didn’t understand it, I just felt bad. I didn’t know how to feel at the time. I was angry. I was hurt,” Ellis said.
Attorney Kelly described the video as showing humiliation rather than a legitimate police tactic. “There’s no tactical means of slapping someone who complied with all of your requests,” Kelly said. “He was handcuffed. He wasn’t slapped once, he wasn’t slapped twice, he was slapped three times while handcuffed. That’s not a police tactic. That’s humiliation, and that’s assault and battery.”
The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress, financial loss, and other harms. A jury trial has been requested.
When asked what he would say to anyone who claims this lawsuit is an attack on law enforcement, Kelly responded, “Slapping someone who you know is unarmed, being compliant and handcuffed, whether you have a badge or a gun or not, is wrong.”
Kelly said the federal lawsuit is just the beginning. Ellis filed a complaint with JSO but said he was never informed about the officer’s eight-day suspension until the interview.
Kelly said he also wants to know if Officer Murphy received retraining. Ellis said he believes the officer who slapped him should be fired.