Bradenton suspends officer involved in fatal Taser incident with Palmetto police

Bradenton Police administrators have concluded an internal investigation into Officer Julian Jackson’s involvement in the detaining death of Breonte Johnson-Davis last November resulting in Jackson's brief suspension from duty and a probation period of six months.

Findings in the 170-page investigation determined that Jackson’s assistance with the Palmetto police officers' detaining and the subsequential death of Johnson-Davis violated six of the agency’s standards and policies.

According to records obtained by the Herald-Tribune last week, Jackson was interviewed by a panel of three investigators, including BPD Chief Melanie Bevan, last month on June 18. Around that time, BPD administrations placed Jackson on a 40-hour suspension from duty records show.

Body cam footage, testimony, and surveillance footage show that Jackson stopped in response to the scene near the Circle K convenience store on 8th Street West in Palmetto on Nov. 1, 2023. Jackson, who was in a marked BPD patrol car and in uniform but off duty at the time, can be seen tackling Johnson-Davis to the ground to gain compliance before Palmetto police officer Matthew Wilson deployed his issued Taser on Davis.

More: Criminal justice, police experts weigh in on Palmetto Police use of force in tasing death

In doing so, Jackson was found to have committed six violations of the Bradenton Police Department’s Procedural General Orders (PGO), among them failing to notify a supervisor of the use of force.

Documents show that Jackson was put on a brief suspension from June 18 until June 25.

Bradenton PD spokesperson confirmed on a call to the Herald-Tribune that Jackson was placed on a six-month probation period, from June 2024 until January 2025, due to the investigation. BPD did not offer comment about whether the agency felt the disciplinary action was in line with the officer’s policy offenses.

Multiple violations cited in Jackson investigation

The Bradenton police investigation comes eight months after the death of Johnson-Davis, a 36-year-old Palmetto man who died following being tased by Palmetto Police during an altercation in November 2023.

Criminal experts have weighed in while community members and family of Johnson-Davis have raised concerns over the past few months that both Manatee County agencies acted with excessive force the night Johnson-Davis encountered the officers. Davis, who was believed to be having a mental health episode at the time of the incident, died of cardiac arrest after being tased two times by Palmetto officers while in custody.

Despite his death, a formal Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) investigation determined that the five officers involved, including Bradenton PD officer Julian Jackson, did not violate excessive force limits during the arrest and death of Johnson-Davis.

No wrongdoing: FDLE investigation finds no wrongdoing in Taser use, death of Breonte Johnson-Davis

In comparison, the small internal BPD investigation cites six instances of misconduct from Jackson. The probe summary reads that Jackson ‘committed several violations of Bradenton Police Department's Procedural General Orders’ during the Nov. 1, 2023 encounter with Palmetto police and Johnson-Davis.

Jackson’s violations of the BPD procedures include failing to notify the communications center of the incident; failure to notify a supervisor of the incident; failure to notify a supervisor of the use of force; failure to complete the required use of force report; and failure to activate body-worn camera equipment.

Following the close of the investigation on June 18, Jackson was placed on a 40-hour suspension and was placed on an extended probation period.

Disciplinary action stirs mixed emotions for Johnson-Davis' mother

For months leading up to the first investigation led by the FDLE, Johnson-Davis' mother, Tracey Washington, pressed the Palmetto police administration for answers about the night her son died.

Washington, a community activist, and Palmetto native has been vocal in her dissatisfaction with Palmetto Chief Scott Tyler’s handling of her son’s death and subsequent investigation.  Her frustration has returned, she says, after learning about the Bradenton internal investigation and Jackson’s disciplinary action.

“On one hand I’m thinking, ‘Great, job well done’ and then on the other hand, I don’t want him to be used as the scapegoat or the example. I understand that he violated lots of policies but I’m still stuck at what made him so comfortable fist-bumping the other officer and saying he’s never there that night,” Washington said recalling an email sent from Jackson to Palmetto police officials following the incident on Nov. 1, 2023.

More: Exclusive: New records detail death of Breonte Johnson, authorities still investigating

“He (Jackson) was too comfortable. You’re not going to get me to believe that one officer can break six polices there and you have four more officers that broke none.”

Emails from Jackson to Palmetto police detailed his involvement during the incident.

"I activated my emergency lights and attempted to help the officer take the male into custody," Jackson wrote in an email to Palmetto PD recounting his involvement. "Due to the male's actions, I assisted the Palmetto PD officer by taking the male to the ground. I took the male to the ground by wrapping my arms around the shoulders of the male and using his momentum moving forward to take him to the ground."

Washington called into question the administration and work culture at both agencies and expressed concerns about leaving any officers involved in incidents like her son’s on the street.

“We still have that officer on the street. And we have another one that said he was happy he finally got to use his Taser. I dream about that all the time, I hear it in my head all the time, randomly. The chief has shown them that the behavior is okay."

She contends that Palmetto police leadership and city officials aren’t being fully accountable for her son’s death despite the incident being cleared by the FDLE.

Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler declined to comment to the Herald-Tribune about the disciplinary action from the Bradenton PD administration in connection to the death of Johnson-Davis.

“That (Bradenton) officer came to render aid to your officers, he was disciplined, but none of yours were,” Washington questioned. “How can these officers be so comfortable with not being disciplined? Is this what Palmetto Police stands for, no discipline?”

Samantha Gholar covers social justice for USA Today Network-Florida and lifestyle and philanthropy for the Herald-Tribune. Connect with her on X (formerly Twitter) @samanthagholar or email her at sgholar@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bradenton suspends officer involved in fatal Taser incident with Palmetto police