Exonerated citizens: Damien Graves, Jerry Land, Josh Huston and Jessica Walker
Questions abound amidst criminal cases thrown out by judges, financial payouts to settle civil rights violations cases, and disturbing footage and photos of autistic and elderly citizens detained or arrested:
- How many incidents will it take before changes are made at Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office?
- How much money will have to be paid out to those wrongfully arrested?
- If SRSO established a program to help those with autism, why can’t procudures to protect our vulnerable seniors be implemented?
On Monday, County Judge Robert Hilliard tossed out a case against longtime little league coach Jerry Land, a grandfather who had coached for decades but now says he will never coach again after SRSO pursued a warrant for his arrest for disturbing the peace, following a verbal argument with an umpire.
Recently a financial settlement was paid out to Milton resident Zander Cash after SRSO Deputy Zachary MacPherson received a three-day suspension for “conduct unbecoming law enforcement” after pulling the 20-year-old autistic man from his home, slinging him to the ground, then cuffing him while profanely yelling at a neighbor who was videotaping and questioning the incident from across the street.
Additionally, a former Navarre couple also just won a financial settlement after Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office sought a warrant for their arrest using manipulated video evidence. Thankfully, First Judicial Circuit Assistant State Attorney Paul Gillespie quickly noticed the video had been doctored and refused to move forward with the case, which had been triggered by Deputy Felipe Pinto.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Felipe Pinto
It’s not the only case we’ve looked into alleging foul play with arrests by Pinto, who seemingly took personal, repeated vengeance upon a Navarre businessman, arresting him multiple times. Somehow Pinto didn’t realize the man’s accuser suffered serious mental health issues. Ultimately, her mental health is why I decided not to publicly cover that case.
Another case, which stinks of being politically motivated, was that of former Navarre resident Josh Huston, a combat-disabled veteran who served 23 years in the military. In November 2022, he was charged with attempted second-degree murder after shooting an ex-convict who trespassed on his family’s property and was allegedly caught breaking into a recreational vehicle around 2 a.m. Circuit Judge J. Scott Duncan dismissed that case. But I wonder if that charge would have even been pursued if Huston’s wife was not the campaign manager for a Democratic Congressional candidate.
Many of us have also seen the heartbreaking viral video of 79-year-old Gulf Breeze resident Elizabeth Collins, who suffered from dementia and was booked into Santa Rosa Jail after an incident in which she hit her husband. The State of Florida dropped the domestic violence charge which had been filed against her, and she died roughly three months later.
Fast forward to this past Sunday, when yet another 79-year-old Gulf Breeze resident, Susan Holmes, was booked into Santa Rosa County Jail for calling 9-1-1 seven times over a two-hour period. Holmes’ mugshot in Santa Rosa Jail View shows her with eyes closed in a bed. Her court paperworks says she was “unable to sign” documents. Furthermore, neighbors of a 68-year-old Navarre woman, whom they say suffers from dementia, tell us she’s been jailed since October. Where is our patience with and empathy for the elderly? As a community, we MUST do better!
Cops often have “discretion” on whether or not to pursue certain arrests. Sadly, it looks like some are making poor decisions which not only can result in significant financial costs but also damage the reputation of all police.
Pensacola Police Department Officer William Roper
For example, in neighboring Escambia County, the day after Thanksgiving, Pensacola Police Department Officer William Roper gave the City a big black eye when he decided to arrest Mike Kimberl, a homeless advocate who was serving food in MLK Plaza after sunset, when the area technically closes.
Kimberl, who works as the director of Pensacola’s Alfred-Washburn Center, a charity serving the poor and homeless, has been feeding the homeless in that same spot every Friday evening for 14 years.
“You’re causing a problem where there hasn’t been one,” Kimberl said.
Bodycam footage shows Roper was initially professional but lost his patience when Kimberl wouldn’t provide identification. Roper placed him under arrest. Kimberl’s mugshot suggests he might be proud to have gone to jail over it. But Roper’s decision to immediately and unilaterally try to resolve the issue with food distributions after dark on City property was disastrous.
At the end of the day we desperately need for each and every local law enforcement officer to put, or keep, “Protect & Serve” in play.
Just because you can arrest someone does NOT mean that you should.
^^^please read that last line again.
