The Hattiesburg man who was recently charged with one count of aggravated assault related to a shooting incident on Eastside Avenue has filed suit against the City of Hattiesburg, the Hattiesburg Police Department, the Forrest County Board of Supervisors, “unknown police officers,” “unknown defendants” and “unknown news medias.”
According to documents from United States District Court, the defendants demonstrated “a clear and unjustified violation of William Jones III’s right against unlawful search and seizure, false arrest and unlawful incarceration." The suit request compensatory damages from the defendants, compensation for all of Jones’ damages – including psychological and emotional trauma – costs for medical and psychological treatment, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.
The suit was filed by Jones’ mother, Vanessa Jones, who is a local attorney and former Hattiesburg Municipal Court judge.
“Our nation’s founding doctrines provide a bulwark against violations of official power, including abuses by enforcement,” the suit states. “The Constitution and federal and state laws prevent police officers from exploiting their positions of authority to subject individuals to unwarranted physical violence, threats and abuse.
“The City of Hattiesburg has violated and continues to violate these longstanding canons of fairness and equality. Acting through the Hattiesburg Police Department, the City of Hattiesburg promotes a culture of rampant discrimination against people of color. Local news media outlets have slandered citizens by relying on false information relayed to them by Hattiesburg Police Department without doing research.”
According to statements issued by HPD, on June 8, officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 600 block of Eastside Avenue, at approximately 12:15 p.m. When police arrived, they discovered a male suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg; that individual was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Police were then notified that a second individual arrived at a local hospital seeking treatment for a gunshot wound to the leg. As the investigation progressed, it was learned that both individuals involved were shooting at one another, during an isolated incident.
Shortly after, police arrested Jones III – who is Black – and charged him with one count of aggravated assault in connection with the incident. He was then booked into the Forrest County Correctional Facility.
That information was reported in the Pine Belt News, along with other media sites in the area.
Jones’ suit states that the City of Hattiesburg has, for years, employed a pattern of racial profiling, discrimination and media slandering that disproportionately targets and adversely affects people of color.
In response to Jones’ charge, the suit states that Jones III – who is an owner of Eastside Soul Food Restaurant – had opened that restaurant at 11 a.m. on the morning of the incident. About an hour later, Jones III exited the front door of the business, at which point he was shot by a Black male in the parking lot.
“Fearing imminent death,” Jones III then returned fire with his gun in self defense, but the assailant continued to fire into the restaurant. Jones III was shot in the right thigh, and one customer of the business was grazed by a bullet and was bleeding.
An employee of the restaurant called HPD, at which point Jones III was transported to Forrest General Hospital for treatment of his wound.
Police then searched Jones III’s vehicle for five hours, which the suit says violated his rights.
“The law in Mississippi is clear … one may use force … if the context of the situation presents a reasonable risk of suffering death of serious injury at the hands to the one against whom the person acts,” the suit reads. “This right to defend oneself under this principle extends to one’s personal vehicle as well as their place of employment.
“Forensics showed that the bullet holes in Eastside Restaurant came from the shots fired from outside the business. Additionally, a customer was grazed with a bullet. There was no probable cause to search Jones’ vehicle or Eastside Restaurant.”
The suit goes on to allege that HPD officials refused to let Jones III's family know his whereabouts or medical condition for hours, and he was transported to HPD for interrogation in a bloody hospital gown.
“Jones was rushed to the Forrest County Jail, so that his picture could be on ten o’clock p.m. news,” the suit reads. “Jones’ character was slandered. He was humiliated and embarrassed.
“As a result, plaintiff has been subjected to emotional harm. William Jones III was harmed by the Hattiesburg Police Department and unknown police officers … (and) was subjected to unlawful arrest and charged with a crime without probable cause, because he was a Black man in the City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.”
The suit names the Forrest County Board of Supervisors as defendants, as the jail and hospital are owned and controlled by the county.
