Community Leaders Call for Police Accountability After Vehicle Passenger Unlawfully Arrested and Held for 49 Hours without Charge Warrants Following Routine Traffic Stop
Who: Timothy Bessent, Sr., President of NAACP Camden County Branch, and attorney Jackie Patterson of Patterson Firm in Atlanta, are holding a press conference.
Where: Camden County Courthouse, 210 E 4th St, Woodbine, GA 31569
When: Saturday, August 6, 2022 at 11:00am
What: Join NAACP Camden County Branch, attorney for Scunickenyatta Jenkins, Jackie Patterson, and community leaders as they bring awareness and demand accountability for the racial profiling and unlawful arrest of Mr. Jenkins by local law enforcement.
On Sunday, July 17, 2022, Mr. Jenkins was the passenger in his girlfriend Ms. Burns’ vehicle as they traveled through Camden County on their way from Florida to South Carolina. Mr. Jenkins is a young Black man. Ms. Burns is a young white woman. Former Kingsland City Police Officer C. Wilkinson pulled over Ms. Burns for speeding. After inspecting Ms. Burns’ driver’s license and registration, Ofc. Wilkinson turned his attention to Mr. Jenkins. The couple declined a search of the vehicle. Ofc. Wilkinson called a Camden County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit to the scene. CCSO Deputy C. Newman arrived and Ofc. Wilkinson ordered Mr. Jenkins out of the vehicle. Mr. Jenkins complied. Ofc. Wilkinson patted Mr. Jenkins down. Mr. Jenkins did not resist but vocally protested as he recorded the officers' conduct with his phone. CCSO Deputy A. Watson arrived at the scene and, within seconds, slammed Mr. Jenkins’ body and head onto an officer's car and then onto the ground to handcuff him from behind. Dep. Newman and Dep. Watson were recorded repeatedly using vulgar and derogatory language at and in reference to Mr. Jenkins. Dep. Newman reported that K-9 Fred "alerted" on Ms. Burns’ car, and the three officers searched the car. No drugs were recovered. Dep. Watson booked Mr. Jenkins on charges of (1) "Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers-Misdemeanor" and (2) "Possession and Use of Drug Related Objects." The online booking search shows another charge (3) “Receipt, Possession of Transfer of Firearm by Convicted Felon" that does not appear in Dep. Watson's incident report. No firearm was recovered. Mr. Jenkins was held for 49 hours before being released without charges. Ofc. Wilkinson issued Ms. Burns a traffic citation for speeding. She denies she was traveling at the speed for which he cited her.
Media: For additional information, including access to police body cam and vehicle video obtained by NAACP Camden County Branch, President Timothy Bessent, Sr. can be reached at naacp5177@gmail.com. More information about NAACP Camden County Branch is available at: https://www.naacpcamdenga.org/