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Florida: Black state lawmakers demand transparency in Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, justice for Jamee Johnson

By staff

Florida Legislative Black Caucus holds press conference

Tallahassee, FL – On January 30, members of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus held a press conference in the Florida capitol alongside the family of Jamee Johnson and members of the Tallahassee Dream Defenders.

The legislators – Representative Shevrin Jones from South Florida, Representative Kim Daniels from Jacksonville, Senator Geraldine Thompson from Central Florida and Representative Ramon Alexander from Tallahassee – all called for an independent investigation, transparency and the release of body cam footage from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Representative Alexander had previously called for investigation from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, a statewide investigatory agency.

Jamee Johnson’s mother, Kimberly Austin, his father Harvey Johnson and Jamee’s stepmother Bridgette Johnson also spoke, demanding justice and accountability for the death of Jamee Johnson at the hands of in Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer Josue Garriga on the evening of December 14, 2019.

“We are looking for transparency,” said Harvey Johnson. “What happened to our son, and why it happened to our son.”

#TallahasseeFL #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #PoliceCrimes #JameeJohnson