A local attorney and a community activist are calling for State Attorney Melissa Nelson to upgrade a misdemeanor battery charge to a felony and file a hate crime charge against a man accused of attacking a woman inside an Arlington gas station.
Former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo is suing the team and seeking his full salary for last season, plus damages for emotional distress following his accusation of being kicked by former coach Urban Meyer, according to a report from the Tampa Bay Times.
John Phillips, Manigault Newman’s attorney, claimed in a statement to The Washington Post that the order for Trump's campaign to pay $1.3 million is “the largest known attorney fee award against a Political Campaign or President we can find.”
washingtonpost.comJohn M. Phillips, Amy Hanna and the Law Offices of Phillips & Hunt will lead criminal and civil litigation matters related to a new trial for Maldonado-Passage. Our goal is to set the record straight and get a new criminal trial for Mr. Maldonado-Passage. JOSEPH MALDONADO-PASSAGE RETAINS ATTORNEY JOHN PHILLIPS AND THE LAW OFFICES OF PHILLIPS & HUNT Jacksonville, Fla. – Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as ‘Joe Exotic,’ has retained John M. Phillips, Amy Hanna and the Law Offices of Phillips & Hunt to lead criminal and civil litigation matters related to a new trial. He takes exception to his portrayal in the show and has significant issues with how the filming hindered his criminal trial. Our goal is to set the record straight and get a new criminal trial for Mr. Maldonado-Passage.
COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – A man who was bitten by a K-9 during a traffic stop is planning to sue the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, alleging excessive force. According to the notice of intent, a deputy of the Sheriff’s Office deployed the K-9, which bit 23-year-old Martinezz Bowman. The video shows that Bowman first drives past a Columbia County deputy on U.S. 441 in a white Dodge Charger. Deputy: “Last warning!”Bowman: “Step out?”Deputy: “Sheriff’s Office K-9!”Bowman: “You want me to get out?”Deputy: “Sheriff’s Office K-9! News4Jax requested comment from the Sheriff’s Office.
The family of her former husband -- millionaire Don Lewis, who disappeared 23 years ago, appeared in the commercial. Baskin told Entertainment Tonight that she has nothing to say to the family about the ad. “It was,” Phillips told News4Jax. “It was a publicity stunt for Don Lewis. “Millions of people are talking about Don Lewis, and not, not how she (Baskin) did dancing with the stars,” Phillips said.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The day after State Attorney’s announced they are pressing charges against a former St. Johns County deputy for beating an unarmed man last year during an arrest, the victim’s attorney and his mother are speaking out about what they are calling a pattern of police brutality in St. Johns County. Attorney John Phillips points to mug shots of white men in their 20s who he said were each badly beaten during their arrest by St. Johns County deputies. Cell phone video recorded by a bystander showed St. Johns County Deputy Anthony Deleo beating and tasing Christopher Butler last December during an arrest along County Road 210. Not only is Butler’s mother and lawyer asking people to come forward with more information about this case, Phillips said the beating is part of a dangerous pattern. St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Chuck Mulligan said once a lawsuit is filed, the agency will respond appropriately.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – An ex-deputy with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, who was seen on video beating a man during a December traffic stop, has been charged with aggravated battery, according to the State Attorney’s Office. DeLeo was fired from the Sheriff’s Office. In the video, Butler can be heard screaming and moaning when he was shocked with a Taser several times. Later in the video, DeLeo comes at him with a baton. In the report from the Sheriff’s Office, investigators said Butler was being uncooperative and was not responding to commands.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A little over a month ago, Folio Weekly announced it was shutting down due to an economic freefall. A week ago, that changed when it announced it was making a comeback as Folio Weekly 2.0. On Monday, News4Jax learned that its Attorney John Phillips whos giving the magazine a second life. As first reported by News4Jaxs news partner the Jacksonville Daily Record, Phillips is hiring writers and staff, and he hopes to have a print issue out in July. Were hiring, looking for people to give the rich diversity of Folio Weekly and bring it back such that people can tell stories and celebrate the positive in Jacksonville, he told the Daily Record. pic.twitter.com/mzA61lYibM Folio Weekly (@folioweekly) June 9, 2020Phillips told the Record he hopes to create an archive of Folio stories that will be available online.
Several Jacksonville Jaguars players are among the list of athletes who signed the petition, which asks Congress to pass a bill ending qualified immunity. Phillips said qualified immunity was originally intended to give police the benefit of the doubt. The problem is qualified immunity has become absolute immunity, meaning police officers cant get in trouble if the victim is dead and theres no other evidence," Phillips said. When you have body cameras that are turned on and available, cellphone camera with footage like weve seen on Mr. (George) Floyd, those are the ones that bust qualified immunity. Qualified immunity prevents offices from being sued in civil court unless they are fired from the police department.
Three and a half months after a West Nassau High School football player was shot and killed, his family is still desperately seeking answers. John Phillips, the family’s attorney, said the Sheriff’s Office told him it’s waiting to get it right. The Sheriff’s Office never identified them, but the family and Phillips said the suspected shooter also went to West Nassau High. The family believes race played a part in the death of their son, who was biracial. One of the other teens called 911 as they drove Fort to West Nassau High -- about 8 minutes away -- to meet a rescue unit.
MORE | I-TEAM: Bail doubling for some protesters arrested over the weekendTuesday afternoon, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams responded to the questions and concerns from the public, in a conversation with City Council members and reporters. However, as soon as the first block is thrown fire is lit it is no longer a peaceful protest. You cant go from breaking the law, back to peaceful protests breaking the law back up. We just sat down in peaceful protest, had our hands raised, had our bags open so they could see we werent carrying weapons, she told News4Jax. News4Jax has received similar complaints from some of the other protesters arrested in Jacksonville over the weekend, many just bonding out Tuesday morning.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputy was fired and accused with aggravated battery Thursday after he was seen on video beating an unarmed man during a December traffic stop. St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar on Thursday withdrew the commission of Deputy Anthony DeLeo, ending his employment with the Sheriff’s Office. Two other St. Johns County deputies who were involved in the incident — Joseph McGinnis and Patrick Ponticello — were placed on paid administrative leave after the video surfaced. Butler remains in St. Johns County jail accused of multiple charges including two out-of-county warrants, resisting arrest and driving under the influence. And that’s the problem, particularly with St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office that refuses body cams.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A Jacksonville attorney who is representing a man who was shocked and repeatedly beaten by St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputies said it’s one of the worse cases of police brutality he has seen locally. “It’s just so abusive and it just goes on for so long,” attorney John Phillips, who specializes in police brutality cases, told News4Jax on Wednesday. According to the arrest report written by deputies, Butler was not cooperating which led to him being shocked by an FHP trooper and then beaten and kicked by deputies. Christopher Butler, 30 (St. Johns County Sheriff's Office)“He was not high on PCP and any statement to that effect is going to result in defamation,” Phillips said. According to the arrest report, Deleo along with Joseph McGinnis and Patrick Ponticello, were the deputies involved in the Butler traffic stop.
Mark, a beaches resident who's ridden out several hurricanes, pointed out around 9 a.m. that the storm's worst had yet to hit the area. We have noodles and beer," Jacksonville Beach resident Melissa Kennedy said. We're having a good time," Jacksonville Beach resident Jack Mackanac said. After warning three swimmers who came out of the ocean at Jacksonville Beach not to try a similar stunt again because the beaches are closed, Jacksonville Beach Ocean Capt. Another concern besides people being on the closed beaches had been the sand dunes.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As Hurricane Dorian zeroes in on Florida, you want to prepare your house, including making sure you secure anything that could cause damage outside. It could be something as small as a loose brick on a driveway or something as big as a basketball net. "Heavy winds could easily pick that up and throw it through a window or even on top of a roof if we have a Category 2 or higher winds," Carlucci said. We have a shovel over here, the wind could easily pick that up along with the table, even the grill or the propane tank." So why is it important for people to take storm preps seriously and go around their house before a storm hits?
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Florida's amended distracted driving law went into place Monday, and texting behind the wheel of a moving vehicle in Duval County could get you a ticket of more than $100 for the first offense. Officers statewide have the option to write tickets with fines or give warnings to people caught texting and driving until January 2020. After that, Duval County violators will be ticketed $114 for the first offense and up to $164 for any following offenses. Its why theyre happy texting and driving is now a primary offense. "This one will be for texting," said Officer Robert Ashmore, a Neptune Beach police officer, as he pulled over a woman in a white sedan on Atlantic Boulevard.
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – Hours after a woman sunbathing on a Nassau County beach was run over Tuesday afternoon, police arrested the man they believe was driving the Jeep that hit her and kept going. According to the Fernandina Beach Police Department, a 53-year-old Akron, Ohio, woman was run over by a silver Jeep Cherokee. Police said the driver of the Jeep took off despite being told by a witness that he had run over a sunbather. It was the second time a sunbather was run over by a vehicle in Nassau County. As proven by the attached warning, the City of Fernandina and Nassau County has done nothing despite repeated notice of a dangerous condition."
