Charges dropped against Lakeland teen after violent arrest

LAKELAND, Fla. — 10 Tampa Bay confirmed charges will be dropped Friday against 16-year-old Jahmal Hudson after a violent altercation with Lakeland police on Memorial Day. A spokesperson for prosecutor Brian Hass and Hudson's mother told 10 Tampa Bay that a hearing Friday morning would make it official.

Ten days ago, officers were called to the Carolina apartment complex on a trespassing call. Hudson was attending a pool party when a resident called the cops on him and his friends. Officers arrived when Hudson went to retrieve his shirt from the pool. Her mother claims an officer made a derogatory remark about Hudson, who then began arguing with the officers.

RELATED: Lakeland teen alleges police brutality after being punched and tagged at Memorial Day pool party

Video taken at the scene by a bystander shows officers hitting Hudson and crowding him. Hudson was later charged with two felonies for violently resisting arrest and another misdemeanor.

Since the video came to light, there have been protests, demands to release the body camera footage and, on Thursday, all charges against the teen to be dropped.

“It was just a verbal argument between a grown man and a 16-year-old boy,” said Ja'Tae Lewis, Jahmal's mother. “Go get the body camera. You're all supposed to wear them. Especially in incidents like this.

This week, the city refused a request from the NAACP to release footage from officers' body cameras. We contacted Lakeland police for a copy Thursday, but they did not respond to our request.

RELATED: Lakeland leaders deny NAACP request to release police bodycam video showing confrontation with teen

Clayton Cowart, founder of the Poor & Minority Justice Association, is advising Lewis, who now has an attorney and told 10 Tampa Bay she wants to “seek justice.”

“We want these officers fired,” Cowart said. “The two police officers who mercilessly beat this young man are still here on modified duty. »

An internal police investigation continues, but this is now the second time in a month that prosecutors have dropped charges against black men in altercations with Lakeland police.

The other incident in Lakeland involved Antwan Glover, who was beaten during a traffic stop in 2022 and charged with three counts of battery. Charges against Glover were dropped in May.

“On the first Saturday of every month, we will gather at the Lakeland Police Department to protest until the officers we demand be fired are fired,” Cowart said.

Hudson's mother also tells us he is still shaken by the incident and left his home for the first time today after learning his charges would be dropped, wanting to visit his grandmother .