Jackson County residents demand justice for alleged wrongful arrest victim

JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Civil rights leaders called a news conference on Monday to demand justice for a man they say was wrongfully arrested.

“A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Jackson County’s NAACP chapter along with community members said they want justice for 61-year-old Ervin Mathis.

On July 4, 2022, Jackson County sheriff’s deputies answering a domestic dispute call showed up on Mathis’ doorstep. The physically disabled man told deputies they were at the wrong house, but they took him into custody anyway.

“They messed up by grabbing him and dragging him to the ground putting him in handcuffs and throwing him in the back of the car. The only thing they thought they could do was just go ahead and arrest him. It’s really my belief that after they arrested him, they came back and realized they had messed up,” Florida State Conference NAACP Juvenile Justice Committee Chairman Landry said.

Several Jackson County residents said the use of force caught on the deputies’ body cams was unnecessary. Some believe it led to Mathis’ death 5 months later.

“They found Mr. Mathis dead on the porch of his trailer, and what we had was an unattended death,” Landry said.

Jackson County Sheriff Donnie Edenfield said his deputies worked with the information they had at the time of the incident.

“They responded to the address that was called in on the 911 call, this particular call, at the end of the day, there was no lady in that house. But the information that we had at the moment said there was someone in the house, come get me, I’ve beaten my woman,” Edenfield said.

He also said they followed the proper protocols.

“A domestic call is usually the number one call that deputies wind up getting shot at is domestic calls, so they couldn’t let him go back in there,” Edenfield said.

The NAACP is calling for an investigation into the sheriff’s office.

“We’re calling for a patterns and practices investigation into the Jackson County Sheriff’s office,” Landry added.

Edenfield said he has nothing to hide.

“I welcome that the justice department, or anyone else that wants to review this, go ahead. We have nothing to hide. Absolutely nothing,” Edenfield said.

Monday was the first time Edenfield has commented on the Mathis incident publicly. He has twice ignored requests from Jackson County commissioners to attend a commission meeting to discuss residents’ complaints.

“My decision not to go before the county commission was based on respect for the family and the fact that the U.S. Attorney’s Office was also was already doing a fact finding exercise on it,” Edenfield said.

The NAACP is holding a town hall meeting on this case Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.