A jury discovered a Fairfax County, Virginia, police officer not responsible of utilizing extreme drive towards a person in a June 2020 incident caught on physique digital camera.
The officer, Tyler Timberlake, who’s white, had faced three misdemeanor assault and battery charges for tasering Lamonta Gladney, who’s Black. Timberlake has mentioned he thought Gladney was another person and mentioned Gladney was excessive on PCP and uncontrollable when he approached the scene.
“I feel one of many first issues we have to do is form of step again when these actions occur and examine them correctly earlier than we instantly go on social media and make bulletins about how horrible an motion is with out taking a look at all of the details, which is precisely what the commonwealth’s legal professional did on this case,” mentioned Timberlake’s legal professional, Brandon Shapiro. “Went proper to the media that evening saying what a horrible act or what a horrible act. He didn’t even know any of the details.”
The protection legal professional mentioned if there was an issue with what occurred, the issue was with the division’s use of drive insurance policies, not with Timberlake.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Legal professional Steve Descano mentioned he was disenchanted within the consequence of the trial however was not shocked.
“Upset within the verdict that we obtained at the moment,” he mentioned. “However I’ve to say I’m not disenchanted for myself. I’m disenchanted for my Black and brown neighbors on this neighborhood. I do know that I don’t have to fret about leaving the home as a bald white man day-after-day and fear that I’m going to get confused for another person and get handled poorly, however that’s one thing that may’t be mentioned for all of our neighborhood.”
La Monta Gladney shared his story Thursday after Officer Tyler Timberlake used a stun gun towards him on June 5. The officer was arrested and charged with three counts of assault and battery. News4’s Drew Wilder stories.
On the day of the incident, different officers who had arrived on the scene earlier than Timberlake had spent a number of minutes attempting to influence Gladney to get into an ambulance to go to a detox heart.
Physique digital camera footage launched by police reveals Timberlake hearth his stun gun on the unarmed man a number of occasions. Whereas Gladney was on the bottom, video reveals, Timberlake struck him and shocked him once more.
In opening statements in the course of the trial, Timberlake’s attorneys mentioned he used acceptable drive given the scenario.
Additionally they mentioned he thought Gladney was another person. Bodycam video confirmed Timberlake calling him “Anthony.” A person by that identify, the protection legal professional mentioned, was violent and recognized to Timberlake.
The protection mentioned Timberlake had expertise arresting people who find themselves excessive on PCP and Gladney gave the impression to be on the drug. They mentioned toxicology assessments later confirmed Gladney had PCP and cocaine in his system and regardless of the case of mistaken identification, Timberlake was responding appropriately.
Gladney described the incident as “traumatizing.”
“True justice goes past anyone case,” Descano mentioned in a information launch. “True justice shall be achieved when my Black and brown neighbors don’t need to concern for his or her well-being after they depart their houses.”
Timberlake was positioned on administrative responsibility when the recordsdata had been charged. His legal professional mentioned it’s not clear if he’ll proceed with division.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
