The jury has reached a verdict in a federal use of force trial against the Fort Myers Police Department.

The jurors reached a favorable verdict for two officers sued by Holley Jones after a 2018 encounter led to him getting tasered. The verdict came after close to three hours of deliberations. The incident happened at a 7-Eleven in Lee County in 2018. It was captured on the officers’ bodycams. Jones filed a lawsuit against officers Andrew Barlow and Christian Robles. [MORE] and [MORE]

Jones was inside a Fort Myers 7-Eleven at 11501 State Road 82 in Lehigh Acres on April 15, when he was approached by officers, James Barlow, and Christopher Robles, who told Jones that they wanted to speak with him outside, according to the lawsuit.

In police body camera footage of the incident, Jones is seen extending his hand to shake the officer’s hand in an attempt to learn his name, but Robles repeatedly said “don’t touch me”.

Officer Robles repeated his request for Jones to step outside and told him not to touch him, despite not being touched by Jones previously, the report claims.

The officers asked a store clerk if she wanted Jones to leave.  She said no, and that he had done nothing wrong. No probable cause existed at the time of the stop (when he was not free to go) because no crime had been committed and Jones was not identified as a suspect to a non-existent crime.

Jones, however did disobey authority - which is the “only crime-all others are offshoots.” - Dr. Blynd