A local mother who works for Ocala Fire Rescue has filed a lawsuit against the city’s police department, accusing the organization of incorrectly targeting her son during a Fourth of July celebration, wrongfully arresting him, and ignoring evidence that exonerated him.
Jacqueline Nettles, on behalf of her minor child J.N., has filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Ocala, alleging that officers from the Ocala Police Department targeted the wrong juvenile during an investigation into an attempted vehicle burglary two years ago.
The lawsuit, which seeks monetary damages in excess of $30,000, along with declaratory and injunctive relief, stems from an incident that allegedly occurred on the Fourth of July in 2024.
According to the complaint, Ocala Police Department officers responded to a call at Tuscawilla Park, located at 829 N.E. Sanchez Avenue, regarding a suspect allegedly pulling the door handle of a vehicle parked near the Ocala Skate Park. The filing notes that no actual burglary, attempted burglary, or property damage took place during the incident.
The lawsuit alleges that despite the availability of city-owned surveillance cameras in the public park, the responding officers failed or refused to review the footage while at the scene.
Instead, three officers and a lieutenant conducted a “show-up identification” with another juvenile, identified in the document as D.J., who was the first juvenile encountered at the location.
During this show-up, the eyewitness reportedly told the officers that she was “95% sure” that D.J. was the individual who pulled the vehicle’s door handle. The eyewitness even completed a formal document affirming this identification.
Furthermore, the witness informed the officers that her ability to observe the plaintiff’s child, J.N., was roughly the same as her ability to observe D.J.
However, the complaint asserts that despite the clear eyewitness identification of D.J. as the primary offender, the officers continued to investigate J.N. and ultimately treated D.J. as merely a witness to the event.
Upon review of the park’s surveillance footage through a public records request on July 15, 2024, Nettles’ attorneys say the video shows D.J. physically pulling the door handle.
According to the lawsuit, J.N. is never seen pulling any door handle in the video.
Nettles submitted a written notice of intent to initiate litigation to the City of Ocala prior to filing this complaint, in accordance with Florida Statutes.
Nettles has worked for Ocala Fire Rescue for over 17 years and is currently listed as a fire equipment operator/paramedic for the organization.