- Police Brutality Watch

Video captures scuffle in police station lobby

In video images shot in the Police Department lobby, three people are seen talking to an officer behind the front desk window when the situation suddenly explodes. Ten police officers descend on them from two separate entrances to the lobby and Lt. Thomas M. Kelly puts one man in a choke hold. Although no punches appear to be thrown in the Sept. 28 incident, several officers wrestle the man to the ground. Capt. Robert T. McFarlin, shift commander, billy club in hand, joins the melee, and Lucy Jones, 52, ends up on the ground. At some point in the scuffle, Jones comes out of her shoes.The three people involved were arrested and charged with disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Arrested were Jones of 1847 Parker St., William S. Owens Jr., 31, of 837 State St., and Wilfred Godbolt, 43, of 65 Pendleton St. Their trial is scheduled for April 5. They said they went to the police station because police tried to deliver to Jones' home a warrant for Owens and his sister Nicole Jones - an unsuccessful mayoral candidate in 2001 - to appear in court as a victim and witness in an assault case in which Owens was the victim. Owens does not live with his mother, Lucy Jones, he said. Lucy Jones said police came to her house three times that day and night. She did not open the door to them. Owens said he went to the police station to get the warrant and to ask police not to bother his mother. Jones, Owens and Godbolt said they did nothing to provoke police, they were never asked to leave the station and they did not resist arrest. But the police report filed in the District Court case against the three residents says they were arrested after Owens used profanity while complaining about police coming to his mother's house "at these hours" looking for him. It says they refused an order to leave, and Jones and Godbolt attempted to interfere with the arrest of Owens by "thrashing their bodies at officers." McFarlin said previously that Jones was arrested "without incident." On the tape she is clearly seen hitting the floor, but it is not clear whether she was pushed or fell. McFarlin appeared to be holding her just before she hit the floor. [more]