Jacksonville woman to speak out for first time after bodycam footage of her violent arrest released
Share and Follow


In a move that has captured national attention, Erika McGriff is set to break her silence on Tuesday regarding the injuries she sustained during a controversial arrest. The incident, which was captured on bodycam footage, shows Officer Randy Holton punching McGriff and pulling her hair as he took her into custody.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Erika McGriff will stand alongside nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump at a press conference in Jacksonville Tuesday morning, marking the first time she’ll speak out publicly since her violent arrest last week.

McGriff, 39, will share her perspective after the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released bodycam footage of her arrest on Friday, which shows Officer Randy Holton yanking her hair and punching her during a takedown to the ground. Meanwhile, Crump and his legal team will share what they have uncovered so far in their investigation.

McGriff faces several charges, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and operating a motor vehicle while having a revoked driver’s license, all third-degree felonies. The charges stem from a Tuesday, Oct. 7 incident outside the IDEA charter school located at 1845 Bassett Rd. in Jacksonville.

During a news conference on Friday, Sheriff T.K. Waters stated that McGriff has a history of traffic offenses, calling her a “habitual traffic offender.” He said that while driving with a revoked license, she illegally parked her running vehicle at an intersection near the school and left it unattended.

Crump is aiming to hold JSO accountable for what he describes as an excessive use of force against McGriff, who, according to him, was unarmed and posed no deadly threat.

In a statement, Crump called the footage “disturbing,” saying it is “another example of unnecessary and excessive force used against a Black woman during what should have been a routine encounter.”

Waters stated that Holton initially approached McGriff to have a conversation, but claimed she was non-compliant.

“She violently resisted Officer Holton and eventually punched him repeatedly and bit him with such force that she left a bite impression on his forearm,” Waters said.

Crump’s investigation is also focusing on footage where McGriff is heard saying “I can’t breathe” and “help” more than 20 times while on the ground.

“We send it to our use-of-force experts to review everything he (Holton) did during the process, and he followed the rules,” Waters said. “He followed the law.”

Jail records show McGriff was released from the Duval County Jail Oct. 9, two days after her arrest, and also show she is set to make her first court appearance Oct. 29.

First Coast News will livestream McGriff’s press conference with Crump from Sanctuary Mt. Calvary Church at 11:15 a.m. Click back on this story to watch it.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
FILE - FILE - The interior of the execution chamber in the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., March 22, 1995. (AP Photo/Chuck Robinson, File)

Alabama Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Abolish Death Penalty

In a bold move that could reshape Alabama’s legal landscape, a bill…
Police search for suspect on US-1 near Abbotts Way in St. Johns County

Manhunt Underway on US-1 Near Abbotts Way in St. Johns County

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office (SJSO) has issued a public advisory…
Share the shore: What St. Johns County is asking beachgoers as wintering shorebirds have arrived

St. Johns County Urges Beachgoers to Share the Shores with Arriving Wintering Shorebirds

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — As more than 25 species of shorebirds…
Anti-ICE protesters storm New Orleans council meeting, unleashing chaos amid immigration crackdown

Chaos Erupts at New Orleans Council Meeting as Anti-ICE Protesters Clash Over Immigration Policies

A New Orleans city council meeting spiraled into turmoil on Thursday as…
Harvard professor detained by ICE after Boston synagogue shooting, agrees to voluntarily leave US

Harvard Professor Detained by ICE Post-Boston Synagogue Shooting: Voluntary Departure from US

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported that U.S. Immigration and…
Man charged with attacking NYU student has 16 prior arrests

NYU Attack Suspect Linked to Prior Assault and Off-Campus Burglaries: Shocking New Details Emerge

A man accused of attacking a New York University student is now…
CNN's Jake Tapper skewered for calling black DC pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole Jr. a 'white man' on air

Jake Tapper Under Fire: CNN’s Blunder in Racial Misidentification of DC Pipe Bomb Suspect

CNN’s Jake Tapper faced backlash on Thursday after mistakenly identifying Brian Cole…
'Quite uncomfortable': New community task force pushes for upgrades to the Mathews Bridge

New Community Task Force Advocates for Essential Upgrades to the Mathews Bridge

A Jacksonville historian has initiated a grassroots movement, forming a task force…