2015/10/14

A trip to the convenience store turned into a national story for Jacksonville resident Kelli Wilson and her husband.

On July 15, 2015 the African American woman got a ride with her friend to meet her husband who had gone to the Westside store earlier.

She had learned that he was being arrested so she decided to go there to get their car back and film the incident.

Once she reached the location and turned on her phone camera, the police officers demanded her to stop.

It is important to note that filming in a public location is legally permitted.

Wilson says she identified herself and continue to talk to the men in uniform politely but did not put away her cell phone.

When she refused to comply and asked them for a reason to stop, they hit her and pushed it to the ground.

An officer then snatched her phone.

Luckily, the encounter was captured on surveillance cameras.

The footage shows the cops striking her on her face, and pushing and shoving her.

She can be seen clearly backing away from the officers.

Following this, she was placed under arrest.

Wilson says her cell phone, which contains the video was taken from her, and to this day it has not been returned.

“I was beaten, and then falsely arrested, my phone was stolen, my car was taken. It was a traumatic experience. It was definitely an experience you never think you would be going through,” she adds.

One of her attorneys Dexter Van Davis says it is fortunate that she filmed the event because without it no one, especially a judge or jury, would believe her version of events.

When Wilson was released from jail, she says, her phone was not returned.

According to the police report, the officers admit that they punched and kneed her.

Watch the video below:

The document clearly states that she did not have a weapon on her.