FORT MYERS, Fla. — Two Fort Myers police officers are being sued by a man who says his rights were violated by two officers.
A video was recently released of an officer tasing a man after questioning him at a gas station last April.
Holley Jones of Lehigh Acres is the man seen in the video. He held a press conference along with his lawyer Tuesday to discuss his reasoning for suing the two officers.
They say they think the reason Jones was tased was a racially motivated. In the video, an officer approached Jones asking him to step outside. Jones asked what for, and the officers asked him again to come outside once again.
A few seconds later Jones tried to shake the officer’s hand; the officer told him not to touch him and asked him to go outside again.
Jones went outside after a second officer approached him. He followed and was told to stand near the squad car, and then Jones is seen walking into the gas station and then he runs. That’s when he was tased by the officer.
Jones was arrested for resisting an officer and possession of heroin and marijuana with the intent to sell.
Jones acknowledged he does have a past with drugs but said the two officers tasing him for what he says was for no reason is why he is suing.
“I hope this lawsuit makes it clear to the people of Fort Myers that there are apparently some officers within the Fort Myers Police Department that do not understand the law, and who do not understand that people should be treated with dignity and respect.”
We did reach out to the Fort Myers Police Department for comment on the case. They said they have no comment at this time.
