TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — William McNeil Jr., the man who was punched during a traffic stop in Jacksonville, is preparing to take legal action against the city.

McNeil and civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels will be announcing a federal lawsuit against Jacksonville Officer D. Bowers and the city of Jacksonville.

The incident, which happened on Feb. 19, 2025, sparked outrage nationwide when the video of officers punching and dragging McNeil, a 22-year-old college student, from his car.

McNeil’s attorneys said the video from their client’s cellphone showed a clear example of police brutality, pointing out that the man did not threaten officers and even had his hands up after being punched in the face the first time.

“It should be obvious to anyone watching this video that William McNeil wasn’t a threat to anyone,” Crump said. “He was calmly exercising his constitutional rights, and they beat him for it.”

“I am absolutely disgusted by the actions of these officers but, unfortunately, I’m not surprised,” Daniels said. “The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has a long history of this kind of needless violence and brutality.”

However, prosecutors cleared Bowers of any criminal wrongdoing, saying that the traffic stop and use of force was justified.

“The State Attorney’s Office has reviewed this matter to determine whether any of Officer Bowers’ actions constitute a crime,” a report from the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida stated. “We conclude they do not.”

In addition to the federal lawsuit, McNeil’s legal team has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the incident to see if the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office violated McNeil’s rights.

“It’s not just how violent and brutal these officers were. It’s that they were absolutely unapologetic because they knew no one was going to hold them accountable,” Daniels said. “It’s clear that the State Attorney’s Office refuses to do anything about it. So we’re calling on the Department of Justice.”

“The State Attorney’s Office failing to hold these officers accountable for their actions and clear disregard for the rule of law is as appalling as the beating itself,” Crump said. 

The federal lawsuit announcement will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday.