*A Florida sheriff’s deputy went viral this week after a police bodycam video was released showing him pulling a gun on a pregnant Black woman during a traffic stop.
The disturbing incident occurred as the woman’s three children watched and recorded the interaction on Aug. 12. As reported by NBC News, Bradford County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Desue tried to pull over Ebony Washington, of Jacksonville, after spotting her speeding at 75 mph in a 55-mph zone on State Road 200.
Desue followed the woman when she did not immediately stop. “Pull the vehicle over or I will put you into the ground!” he said over the patrol vehicle’s PA system.
Washington turned on her hazard lights and Desue followed her as she pulled into a gas station in front of a convenience store. The video shows Desue shouting to Washington’s car, “If you make any movement, that’ll be your last mistake you’re going to make.”
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This is what women are taught to do if they are on a dark road or in a secluded area, put your hazards on, slow down and drive to a public place. Imposters have pulled people over and raped or killed them. I hope she sues him and the department.
— Suerunstheworld (@suehart89) August 24, 2022
The Twitter clip above shows Desue emerging from his patrol car with his gun pointed at the woman. When he yells for her to get out of her car, Washington says through the open vehicle window that the door is locked. Desue responds: “Unlock it. I’m not worried. I’ve got my gun on you.”
Washington exits the car with her arms raised and explains that for safety reasons, she didn’t want to stop in the “middle of nowhere,” which is why she did not immediately pull over.
“Your excuse means nothing to me right now. I don’t want to hear it,” Desue replies.
He handcuffs Washington, who informs him that she is pregnant, and continues to explain that she drove to a well-lit area because it was dark. Desue yells: “I don’t care about the why! Just shut up! I don’t care about the why!”
Another deputy shows up at the scene and the woman apologizes as more words are exchanged. The body camera video ends with Desue removing the cuffs and giving her a citation and saying: “You’re a mother, you got kids, you’ve got to get them home. Let’s be done with this, OK?”
I guess Jacob Desue found out he wasn’t “white” like he claims … but he sees himself as a White Republican holding a gun to a pregnant woman … #EbonyWashington pic.twitter.com/i31wlELyiy
— CJ G (@cjgproduxions) August 25, 2022
Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith said Desue’s behavior violated the department’s policies.
“She does exactly what I would tell my daughter, my wife, my neighbor, anybody else that may feel uncomfortable: You reduce your speed, you turn on your flashing lights, be acknowledged,” Smith told NBC affiliate WTLV of Jacksonville.
“Deputy Desue should have cleared it, checked with the children, make sure they’re safe. Why were they upset?” Smith continued. “So a lot of things that should have been done weren’t done. And at the end of the day, we determined that was something that we didn’t need representing us or protecting our community.”
Desue had been employed by the sheriff’s office since 2020. Following his tense encounter with Washington, he reportedly resigned on Aug. 16. This allows him to take his reported history of police misconduct to another precinct where more citizens will likely be terrorized by him.
Washington’s attorney, John M. Phillips, said in a statement that his client is “still suffering from the effects of her trauma, her life flashing before her and her kids eyes and the situation as a whole.”
“She is relieved Deputy Desue resigned (in lieu of termination), but is concerned about him doing the same at another agency,” Phillips said.
Phillips intends to file a lawsuit.
Meanwhile, many social media users were shocked to learn that Desue is a biracial man (and not a white man) — see clip below.
“I’m Black and I’m White” pic.twitter.com/UXPe0LSGft
— CJ G (@cjgproduxions) August 25, 2022
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