Michael Russell
Service Record
Jacksonville Florida Sheriff's Office
| Rank | Sergeant (December 28, 2019)[1] |
| Dates of Service | Hired July 28, 2008.[2] |
| Last Known Status | Active |
Incident Reports
2023 Battery on a Sports Official
On March 25, 2023, Russell was off-duty and attending a youth soccer game when a fight broke out between the teams. The referees were trying to regain control, including blowing their whistles. Russell went onto the field, hit a referee in the face, and knocked the whistle from his mouth.[1]
The incident was captured on cellphone photo and video.[1]
Response Timeline
On March 27, 2023, Russel claimed that the referee approached him in a fighting stance and spit out his whistle. Invetsigators found that the video "completely contradicts this statement".
On March 28, 2023, Russell was arrested for battery on a sports official, a third-degree felony.[1][2]
On April 13, 2023, Russell pleaded not guilty.
On March 7, 2024, Assistant State Attorney Marcus Isom declined to prosecute the case.
LEO Ratings reached out the attorney for more information. (2024-04-05).
LEO Ratings
Public Comments
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dan Scanlan, Police sergeant accused of smacking whistle from referee's mouth, WJCT, 2023-03-28
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jacksonville officer arrested after hitting referee during children's soccer game, sheriff says, First Coast News, 2023-03-28
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