When Jazmine Headley visited her local social services office in Brooklyn, the last thing she was looking for was an argument with anyone. She found herself in some hot water for obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest, which all stemmed from an altercation she had with a guard in a crowded waiting room at the food assistance office.
When cops arrived at the scene tempers flared when stun guns were pulled out and pointed at the angry crowd. When officers forcefully yanked Headley’s toddler from her, she begged them for mercy, claiming they were hurting the young boy. After a shocking video of that incident went viral, the DA had a tough decision to make…
Social Services
Headley was forcefully separated from her 18-month-old toddler and taken to be held at Rikers Island. She was taken there after an argument with a guard at the food assistance office. She was then charged for obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child and trespassing. Her arrest was caught on camera and posted to social media where it went viral immediately and sparked public outrage.
Treated Badly
The onlookers at the office, as well as the people who filmed the arrest, said the way Headley was treated was indicative of how low-income social service recipients are treated in general. When the young mother ended up laying face down on the ground and spread eagle, people in the crowd began to get irate and to shout.
Threatening Behavior
During the arrest, as Headley was forced to the ground as her son was snatched from her by cops, another officer pointed her stun gun at the crowd, threatening to shoot them if they made a wrong move. Once officials saw the footage an urgent investigation was sparked by the New York Police Department and the Department of Social Services.
Serving Justice
Soon after Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez viewed the footage of the arrest, he decided to drop all the charges against Headley saying he was acting “in the interest of justice,” according to a Daily Mail report. He spoke to reporters about the unnecessary trauma Headley and her son had already been through.
Already Suffered
As Gonzalez explained at a press conference: “The consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it: she and her baby have been traumatized, she was jailed on an unrelated warrant and may face additional collateral consequences.”
Poor Baby
At one stage during the struggle, one officer yanked the toddler from his mother’s arms as she pleaded with the cops, ‘They’re hurting my son… I’m begging you please,” she said. Another person in the background can be heard in the video screaming, “Oh my God, oh my God, look what they’re doing to us, look what they’re doing to her.”
Judge Speaks
Judge Craig Walker who also viewed the footage of the incident described it as “horrific” and said that releasing her without bail was “the right thing to do.” Following her sudden release, Headley spoke to reporters outside the jail, giving thanks to all the people that supported her through troubled times.
Giving Thanks
“I just want to thank everybody and all the support that I’ve been getting in New York and just all the great people who have been supporting me,” she said. “I’m so grateful to everyone, and I’m just happy to be free, and I just need to see my boy,” she added. DA Gonzalez also spoke to the press, saying he was “horrified” by the brutal arrest.
Handled Wrong
As Gonzalez told reporters: “Like everyone who watched the arrest of Jazmine Headley, I was horrified by the violence depicted in the video,” he said. “It is clear to me that this incident should have been handled differently.” But Gonzalez aimed the blame at the guard from the food assistance office, accusing him of “escalating the situation.”
Daycare Vouchers
When reporters spoke to Headley’s mother, Jacqueline Jenkins, she said her daughter, who works as a cleaner, was only at the center to collect daycare vouchers for a nanny who looks after her son, Damone. She said that her daughter sat on the floor as there were no free chairs in the waiting room and that’s when the security guard escalated matters.
Like a Doll
Jenkins spoke about the horror she felt when she saw that her grandson had been thrown around like a “rag doll.” “I can’t believe the NYPD, how they handled it, the force what they did to grab my grandson like that,” she said to NBC New York. “He was like a rag doll.”
Angry at Cops
The woman who took the video and posted it online also spoke to reporters about the shocking incident. “[The mom] made the security guard feel dumb so she called the cops on her, and this was the outcome,” she explained. “She had her baby in her hands the whole time. I’m so f***ing disgusted with the NYPD,” she added.
Heartbreaking Incident
Meanwhile, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, also spoke about the incident, calling it “unacceptable, appalling and heartbreaking.” He also took to Twitter, writing, “I’d like to understand what transpired and how these officers or the NYPD justifies this. It’s hard to watch this video,” he said.
Many Outraged
The long list of people outraged by this incident is seemingly never-ending. State Attorney General-elect Letitia James, also released a statement about what happened. “No mother should have to experience the trauma and humiliation we all witnessed in this video,” she said. “Being poor is not a crime. The actions of the NYPD in this video are appalling and contemptible.”
Full Investigation
James also insisted that a full investigation is carried out and concluded as soon as possible. “A full investigation must be conducted immediately, and the results should be made public, so there is a transparent accounting of how this horrific situation occurred,” she said. “All involved officers, including the assigned supervisor, should be assigned desk duty pending the investigation results.”
Mayor Speaks
News of the incident even made it all the way up to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office. He praised the DA’s decision to drop the case and all the charges against Headley, Tweeting, “This morning my office spoke to the Brooklyn DA about dropping the charges against Ms. Headley. I applaud the DA’s decision to do so. She should be reunited with her child as soon as possible.”
Police Commissioner
Another person to be outraged and speak out about the Headley case was Police Commissioner James O’Neill. While he confirmed that the NYPD body cameras would be reviewed soon, he said, “It’s disturbing, but we have to see what led up to the event. What were the actions of the people from HRA, what were the actions of our police officers?”
Taking Action
Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks also released a statement claiming that he would now move to take immediate action to ensure such an incident doesn’t reoccur. “I am deeply troubled by the incident, and a thorough review was launched over the weekend to get to the bottom of what happened,” he said. “I am reinforcing efforts to train officers and staff to better defuse situations before the NYPD is called for assistance and directing refresher de-escalation training for HRA Peace Officers,” he said.
Not Justified
Jenkins, who was tasked with caring for the toddler as his mother sat in jail, told reporters that there was no justification for what happened. “There was no reason for NYPD to tug and pull like the way they did with him – he was rag-doll basically. And she was really trying to protect him, and you heard him screaming,” she said. But other people who visit the center regularly say they are treated badly by the staff there on a regular basis.
Nobody Charged
After a brief investigation it was reported that no officers in the Jazmine Headley case will be charged or face punishment for their vile actions caught on video. The Brooklyn native won’t face charges either, fortunately, but as far as justice being served in this case … that’s up to the reader to decide.
