The family of a teen whose violent police confrontation for “black while jaywalking” is now speaking out. The teen has been identified as Emilio Mayfield, and his family differs on police claims. The teen’s grandfather, Reginald Duncan, 66, has stated that he is now the official family spokesman. Duncan states, “My grandson told me that he was walking when he felt a tug, but the person who tugged him didn’t identify himself, and so Emilio kept on going. The area where this happened is a pretty bad area of Stockton, and he’s always been taught to keep it moving there. [He} was then pulled back in a rough manner, and he realized that it was a police officer that tugged him. He said the cop looked very agitated and then threw him against a planter, took out his baton and started trying to move his baton in such a way that it was pushing him down and choking him.”
Police spokesman Joel Silva states, however, that “a sign was posted explicitly saying you can’t be there.” Silva goes on to state, “When our officer asked the kid to not be in the lane, the kid immediately cussed, saying, ‘I’m not going to listen to you’ and kept walking. The officer then went to legally detain the kid and in doing so, the kid pulled away from the officer and a scuffle ensued, during which, the officer’s body camera got knocked off.” Silva maintains that Mayfield attempted to grab the officer’s baton and escalated the situation.
During the violent encounter the teen is hit multiple times by the officer and screaming in pain. Later at least four officers brutally slam the crying 16-year-old onto the ground. The family of Mayfield announced that an official complaint has been filed regarding the treatment of the teen. Duncan stated that his grandson “is a good kid” and he has faith that video will prove him innocent of wrongdoing.” I’m a pastor, and he’s a member of my church.”He wears proper clothes; he’s not gang-affiliated. I believe what my grandson said, and I don’t believe he used profanity and tried to take the baton to hurt the cop like what the cops are trying to say,” stated Duncan.
