The 61-year-old man arrested in connection with the targeted ambush shooting of a father of four in Jacksonville Beach last year will be arraigned on the charges Feb. 16 -- a year to the day that Jared Bridegan was gunned down with his toddler daughter in the back seat of his SUV.
Nearly a year after a father of four was gunned down in what police believe was a targeted ambush shooting in Jacksonville Beach, police and the state attorney’s office announced an arrest in the case Wednesday.
Human trafficking can happen anywhere and to anyone — that was the message Tuesday morning from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit and the FBI during a news conference in recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
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.
News4JAX on Friday obtained the incident reports on suspicious letters that were sent to the Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office and the Duval County Courthouse in downtown Jacksonville this week.
Tuesday marks one year since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Floyd’s death sparked a nationwide movement to change police tactics and increase accountability, but the movement has brought different results in different parts of the country.
Billy Wells, who earned the nickname “Monster of Mayport” after five bodies in varying states of decomposition were found in his Mayport mobile home in May 2003, was serving a life sentence at Florida State Prison when he killed again -- twice.
An interfaith group of Jacksonville community leaders is celebrating a pledge from Sheriff Mike Williams, whom the group says has agreed to more discussions about how police respond to mental health crises and alternatives to arrests for minor crimes.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police are seeking information about gunfire that erupted Sunday during a youth football jamboree at a Mandarin park, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday. The request for information came just hours before parents of youth football players met with the Mandarin Athletic Association to weigh whether the spring football season will be canceled. Shortly after 4:30 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to shots fired at Greenland Park, where there were about 500 players and fans gathered for youth football games. Parents like Brown would also be refunded the money they paid in advance for their child to participate in spring football. Earlier Tuesday, News4Jax learned that parents were also told Elite South Youth Football League wanted parks to be responsible for security.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On this edition of “This Week in Jacksonville,” State Attorney Melissa Nelson explains what her office is doing to try to turn around the violent crime numbers in the Jacksonville area. State Rep. Angie Nixon speaks about her bill that would address medical marijuana accessibility. And Jacksonville City Councilman Dr. Ron Salem talks about his proposal to name the field at J.P. Small Park after Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Melissa Nelson begins her second term as state attorney for the 4th Circuit, Jacksonville is coming off a historically troubling year. There were 176 homicides reported in 2020, the highest number in at least the last 20 years, according to News4Jax records. But we recognize that intervention and prevention is probably even more important than that enforcement piece.”MORE: State Attorney on Jacksonville violence: Enforcement itself won’t fix underlying issuesEnforcement, Nelson said, has included a targeted approach for the areas of the city that are “suffering the most.” That has led to small successes, she added. Two parts of Nelson’s long-term strategic plan coming in 2021, she said, is an initiative related to enhancing support of crime victims and communication with them, as well as a cold case initiative. AdHer answers to those questions and more can be seen on This Week in Jacksonville, Sunday at 9 a.m. on Channel 4 and at noon on CW17.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the midst of heated and tumultuous elections across the nation, State Attorney Melissa Nelson quietly continued into her second term in the 4th Judicial Circuit. But many in Jacksonville are still worried about violence in their neighborhoods, especially after the 176 homicides reported in 2020 -- the highest in the last 20 years. Nelson said public safety and dealing with violence in the community is her office’s top priority. Toward that effort, Nelson’s office has also prioritized investing in technology, including a bullet tracing database and a Joint Crime Center. “As I have said many times before, we didn’t get here overnight, and we are not going to fix this overnight.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Providing new hope for local families whose loved ones have been killed, the State Attorney’s Office for Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit has been awarded a $470,000 grant to take another look at cold cases. In the grant application, prosecutors said they identified more than 740 pending cold cases between 1995 and 2016. “Cold cases are challenging to investigate and rewarding to solve. To prioritize the cases, prosecutors have a scale based on solvability, so the cases with the most promising evidence will be looked at first. Ad“Yes, they’re cold cases.
They said it was his cousin is who told Fraser to call his father, a former deputy, who then told him to call 911. Dominic DJ Broadus was killed February 3, 2018, by Gardner Fraser in what he told deputies was self-defense. (Family photo)In a two-hour sentencing hearing, several of Broadus’ family members, including his father, mother and 13-year-old son, were visibly grieving as they delivered victim impact statements. The favoritism, that’s here,” said Anita “Baker” McGoogin, who co-organized protests supporting the Broadus family. Earlier this month, the Broadus’ family filed a lawsuit against Fraser with the Baker County Clerk of Courts seeking damages in excess of $30,000.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – State Attorney Melissa Nelson says she made a promise that there would be more transparency at her office, and it’s happening in digital form. It’s a dashboard that’s been developed over the last three years. Now, people can see patterns of prosecution by going to a website. Thirty-three prosecutorial performance indicators are measured to express the success of the prosecutor’s office, such as addressing serious crime, time management as well as racial and ethnic differences. When asked whether she believes it will give the public a greater sense of transparency from the prosecutor’s office, Nelson responded: “That is certainly the primary goal.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Department of Justice on Wednesday recognized State Attorney Melissa Nelson for her office’s support of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. According to the DOJ, Nelson made the initiative a priority immediately after she was sworn into office in 2017, becoming a driving force behind creating Northeast Florida’s first Crime Gun Intelligence Center. The center officially opened in May 2019 and Nelson worked to fully staff the center. “The success of Project Safe Neighborhoods in northeast Florida is directly attributable to her ability to galvanize her office, critical agencies and community partners around a common goal – creating safer communities,” the DOJ wrote in a news release. “Through this program, prosecutors regularly meet with students to improve relationships between the community, prosecutors, and law enforcement,” it stated.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a new federal lawsuit, a photographer claims she was arrested, handcuffed and struck in the head by an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office during the May 31 protests against police brutality in downtown Jacksonville. This is not the first lawsuit JSO has faced since the arrests of dozens of demonstrators over the course of two days of protests in May. In August, four of the demonstrators arrested during the protests were awarded $100,000 by a federal judge after alleging the sheriff’s office violated their first amendment rights. The Sheriffs Office said “JSO does not comment on litigation.”JSO did not answer our questions asking whether the officer accused of striking the woman was currently or ever under review or investigation. But JSO did say the officer named in the lawsuit, who allegedly struck the woman, is still a current employee of JSO.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s three top leaders addressed a surge in crime in the city on Tuesday. News4Jax sat down with Mayor Lenny Curry, State Attorney Melissa Nelson and Sheriff Mike Williams to ask about a violent trend. The Jacksonville leaders acknowledge the city is heading in the wrong direction and the numbers are extremely high and concerning. Investigators are also using crime technology through the gun intelligence center, gunshot detection software and community programs like Cure Violence. And that’s why leaders say they need to appeal to neighbors to speak up and report violence or red flags.
Melissa Nelson wants longer sentences for people convicted in gun crimesPublished: September 14, 2020, 7:03 pmMelissa Nelson, the state attorney for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, says she is fighting back against gun violence by seeking longer sentences for people convicted in gun crimes.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Melissa Nelson, the state attorney for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, says she is fighting back against gun violence by seeking longer sentences for people convicted in gun crimes. Ben Frazier, a community activist in Jacksonville, has been outspoken about gun violence. He released a statement about the checklist, which reads in part:“My one word response to this new policy is “hogwash.” The overarching issue here is how do we reduce gun violence? The state attorney doesn’t know if the change will help reduce crime but she wants it to be resource to help the community and help her office do their job effectively. Nelson hopes that it is a deterrent specifically to stop gun violence in the city.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The NAACP and other community groups will meet with State Attorney Melissa Nelson, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and other city leaders during the next several weeks to discuss the associations demands for racial equality. Isaiah Rumlin, the president of the Jacksonville chapter of the NAACP, joined News4Jax anchor Jennifer Waugh on The Morning Show to talk about the organizations reaction to the decision by the state attorney and the sheriff to release body camera video of police shootings. RELATED: New policy on body camera footage in police shootingsNelson announced Monday, that Duval, Clay and Nassau counties will release footage from police shooting within 30 days, unless the state believes it will hinder a case. Watch Rumlins interview below for more on what the NAACP wants to see happen in the city:
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s police union is weighing in on the decision by State Attorney Melissa Nelson to release body camera video from police shootings within 30 days. Community members are also talking about what they are seeing, particularly with a video released Tuesday that shows a knife-wielding woman stabbing an officer in April. It was the latest video released by the State Attorney’s Office, but six others are expected to be released in the near future. The quick release of the videos came about as a result of protests and meetings by various groups demanding change. He said they have always supported getting the videos out in a timely manner and this should give people a better perspective of police work.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some community groups and social activists in Jacksonville say a move by the State Attorney’s Office to speed up the release of body camera footage in police shootings is groundbreaking. “We will continue with our boots on the ground campaign in that regard.”Others like Lauren Cepheus, vice president of the Black Commission — a local group working for policy change in the Black community — echoed that response. “Things are improving.”RELATED: Nelson issues new policy on body camera footage in police shootingsNews4Jax asked Sheriff Mike Williams if he has a timeline of when videos would be released. “So within 30 days, it will be released.”The sheriff says this is evolving and there could be changes. The community groups say they will be meeting later this month with Nelson and others to see how this is working and to discuss other issues.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Saying that swift and certain public release of body-camera footage is in the publics best interest, State Attorney Melissa Nelson on Tuesday announced changes to the policies involving videos of police shootings. Nelson said the State Attorneys Office for Duval Clay and Nassau counties will now approve the release of footage from police shootings within 30 days unless the state believes it will hinder a case. I think its a good policy, I think its thoughtful, I think its well researched, Nelson told News4Jax. Im really proud of the work of the assistant state attorneys in the office, whove been working really diligently on putting it together. The release of body camera footage has been a sore spot between the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office and the State Attorneys Office since some JSO officers starting wearing the cameras at the end of 2018.
Many don’t believe it was a coincidence that it happened so close to election day. If you are Brad King, (the special prosecutor) appointed by the governor, why aren’t you having that conversation with the governor? “Let the governor exercise his constitutional right to remove a sheriff if the evidence is that strong. Make your prosecutorial decisions; make your decisions as a governor -- but mingling the two in the middle of an election is a rather unusual combination,” Falgatter said. And of course, if he loses the election, they don’t need to make that threat.
Three Republicans and one Democrat are running to be the next County Clerk of Circuit and County Court. I would like to be the Clerk remembered for modernizing the office and opening the doors to all the residents of Duval County. I also want to be sure the staff of the clerk's office reflects the diversity of Jacksonville. Fiscal Responsibility: The Clerk of Court is funded based on revenue received from all Clerk’s throughout the state. Advocating for appropriate funding levels and support for additional requirements placed on the Clerk of Court is critical.
Ron DeSantis has appointed a Central Florida state attorney as a special prosecutor to take over the investigation of Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels. She began a relationship with Daniels when she worked for him when they were both at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the affair continued after he was elected sheriff. A Clay County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told News4Jax earlier in the month that Daniels has no comment at this time. Daniels has been the subject of a state investigation into allegations of official misconduct since last year. At the time, an FDLE spokesperson acknowledged the state was initially provided information by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Daniels’ former employer and had since received additional information.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A second criminal investigation into former 4th Judicial Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk has been closed. In August, 8th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Cervone was appointed to conduct the second criminal investigation into Shirk after an audit raised allegations of excess retirement benefits, misuse of government property, unauthorized disposal of government property and inappropriate seminar attendance. Accordingly, Cervone says he closed the case without filing any criminal charges. Last year, the Florida Ethics Commission fined Shirk $6,000 for what it said was egregious conduct while in office. Shirk served as public defender for one term that was marked by scandal, and in his re-election bid, was soundly defeated by Cofer.
