MULBERRY -- A law enforcement officer named in a use of force incident recorded Sunday and going viral on social media has a history of similar behavior, according to a local attorney.
Carrie Jernigan of the Van Buren-based Jernigan Law Group said in a TikTok video that she made an excessive force complaint involving a male client against an unspecified law enforcement agency, "one officer somewhat in particular," about a month ago.
"I've never done that in 15 years of practicing law, but in this situation, it was warranted," Jernigan said. "I felt like my client was brutally attacked and I let that be known. There's some other things that went on with it that I just think were egregious."
Jernigan said she didn't hear anything related to her complaint until she started getting tagged in a video on Facebook depicting local law enforcement beating someone this week.
"And as soon as I saw the ... style of attack of the law enforcement officer, the main one, I knew it was exactly how my client a month ago said it happened with him," Jernigan said. "I screenshotted it, sent it to my client and I said, 'This is the same guy, isn't it?' And he immediately said, 'It is.'"
Jernigan said she believed this same officer attacked a woman during an arrest about a week ago. She also believes the more recent incidents wouldn't have happened if her initial complaint had been taken seriously.
Jernigan identified the deputy as Levi White of the Crawford County sheriff's office Tuesday. Jernigan didn't respond to phone calls requesting additional details Wednesday.
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White, along with fellow deputy Zack King and officer Thell Riddle of the Mulberry Police Department, were identified in a video using force while arresting Randall Worcester , 27, of Goose Creek, S.C. at about 10:40 a.m. Sunday outside the Kountry Xpress convenience store off Interstate 40 in Mulberry. The officers were shown repeatedly punching and kneeing Worcester and slamming his head to the pavement, as well as telling a bystander to get away from the scene.
Worcester was taken to an area hospital afterward for treatment before being held in the Crawford County jail in Van Buren, according to Arkansas State Police.
He was arrested in connection with suspicion of second-degree battery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, resisting arrest, possessing an instrument of crime, criminal trespass, second-degree criminal mischief and first-degree terroristic threatening after the incident, according to the sheriff's office's online inmate roster. He was released from jail on $15,000 bail Monday.
OFFICER'S ATTORNEY RESPONDS
Russell Wood, an attorney with the Wood Law Firm in Russellville, said in a news release Monday he represents deputies White and King in connection with the Kountry Xpress incident.
Wood said in a statement White responded Sunday to a person matching the description of someone who had reportedly threatened to cut a woman's face off with a knife. Worcester gave White a false identity, after which he became irate and grabbed White by the legs and slammed him headfirst onto the parking lot. Worcester got on top of White and started hitting him in the back of the head and face, temporarily incapacitating him.
White, upon recovering somewhat, saw Worcester fighting with King and Riddle and used "all force necessary" to get Worcester under control and detained, Wood said.
"Such a violent suspect cannot be allowed to remain unrestrained and all necessary force is authorized to arrest this type of violent suspect," Wood said. "The amount of force authorized under the law is always relative to the offense the suspect commits. In this case, this violent suspect showed his willingness to commit serious violence and then he continued to resist arrest, spit and bite at the officers, and refused to allow the officers to get the handcuffs on him -- hence the necessity for three officers."
Wood said the officers didn't use force after securing the handcuffs. Worcester also reportedly said he didn't have injuries when booked into the county jail and didn't need or request medical attention.
"This shows that the compliance strikes administered by the deputies were used exactly as trained," Wood said. "Deputy White needed medical attention and sustained a concussion as a result of the attack, 4-inch circular swelling and bruising above his right eye and is currently suffering from concussion symptoms."
Wood said he requested the release of a video recorded from a Mulberry police patrol unit that shows the full sequence of events.
A statement on the Wood Law Firm Facebook page Tuesday said the incident in which Worcester reportedly threatened to cut a woman's face happened at a gas station at 445 U.S. 71 North in Alma at about 10 a.m. Sunday. The woman, who gave the statement to law enforcement, was a worker at the gas station, which is also located off Interstate 40.
LITIGATION
Attorney Adam Rose of the Law Offices of David L. Powell in Fort Smith said Wednesday he, Powell and Jernigan are representing Worcester in one of three federal civil cases they plan to file involving deputies with the Crawford County sheriff's office. The other cases pertain to the two clients Jernigan discussed in her TikTok video.
Powell said one case involving a male client involves three sheriff's 9ffice deputies, including White, while the other case involving a woman client includes only White.
Rose said he and Powell are also representing Worcester in his criminal case. He said he hoped the lawsuits would be filed by the end of next week. Worcester suffered physical injuries during his arrest, Rose said Monday.
The FBI's field office in Little Rock opened a civil rights investigation into the incident, according to authorities. King, White and Riddle are suspended with pay.
A Freedom of Information Act request seeking reports pertaining to Worcester's arrest, along with body camera footage recorded during the incident, was sent to the sheriff's office and Mulberry Police Department on Monday. The agencies were also asked for all excessive use complaints filed against the deputies and the officer during the past 12 months. The sheriff's office was requested to provide any and all recorded phone calls or call records connected with Worcester's arrest as well on Tuesday.
Representatives of the sheriff's office and the Police Department said these requests have been sent to the attorneys of the county and city of Mulberry, respectively. Neither had sent a response as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.