Posts in Mark NeJame in the News

September 6, 2022 Man arrested in 2 killings, including victim shot by Orange deputy

A man was arrested Saturday on second-degree murder charges in the Aug. 6 killings of two brothers, one of whom was shot by an Orange County deputy. Rafael Roberto Villaverde, 24, was booked into the Orange County Jail and being held there as of Tuesday without bond, records show. The arrest affidavit for Villaverde was not immediately...

September 1, 2022 Florida Deputy Fatally Shoots Armed Man Whose Dying Brother Was Nearby, Video Shows

A Florida deputy sheriff is on paid leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates his decision to fatally shoot an armed man whose brother was dying nearby. The Orange County deputy sheriff shot and killed Bryan Richardson outside of an Orlando hotel on Aug. 6 as he approached his brother, Dylan Jimenez, who...

August 30, 2022 Family’s attorney speaks out after video shows deputy shoot man to death

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office release video Friday that captured the moment a deputy opened fire, killing 28-year-old Bryan Richardson. Deputies said Richardson, and the man on the ground blurred out in the beginning of the video, 21-year-old Dylan Jimenez, are brothers. Investigators said the two had an altercation with a third man...

August 29, 2022 Video shows Florida deputy fatally shoot armed man whose brother lay dying after hotel altercation

Video released last week shows the moment this month when a Florida deputy fatally shot an armed man, whose brother was nearby and bleeding to death after an altercation at an Orlando hotel. Brothers Dylan Michael Jimenez, 21, and Bryan Matthew Richardson, 28, died after the incident, the Orange County Sheriff’s...

August 26, 2022 Armed brother of shooting victim was fired at 8 times by Orange deputy, video shows

An Orange County deputy sheriff shot eight rounds from close range at a man holding a gun pointed at the ground and his other arm outstretched with his palm facing out, body-worn camera footage released Friday showed. The shots were fired after Bryan Richardson didn’t immediately comply with deputies’ demands to drop the gun...

August 26, 2022 With sold-out ballet benefit, Orlando unites to help Ukraine

Marc McMurrin saw the news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and wanted to help. So did Alan Ginsburg. So did Sibille Pritchard. So did everyone they asked. The result? A sold-out benefit for Ukraine-supporting charities that already has raised about $400,000. Saturday night, the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will host the National Ballet of Ukraine...

July 15, 2022 Shoplifting charges dropped for teens shot by deputies outside Kissimmee Target

Prosecutors have decided not to bring formal charges against two teens accused of shoplifting from a Target in Kissimmee before being shot by Osceola County deputy sheriffs in the store’s parking lot, an incident that sparked a firestorm of criticism against the Sheriff’s Office. Court records show prosecutors deemed the case...

June 8, 2022 Investigation provides insight into Mount Dora police chief’s sudden resignation

9 Investigates has learned more about why the Mount Dora police chief suddenly resigned last week. Police Chief Brett Meade resigned last week over what he described as differences with the city manager, who wanted an outside investigator to review an incident caught on video showing a Mount Dora police officer, without reading...

May 29, 2022 Experts question Osceola deputies’ arrest tactics before deadly shooting

Questions remain about the decisions Osceola County deputy sheriffs made when they shot and killed Jayden Baez in a Target parking lot, according to two use-of-force experts who reviewed the case for the Orlando Sentinel — one of whom called the shooting “highly problematic.” It’s been a month since Baez was shot as he tried to escape deputies in unmarked vehicles...

May 27, 2022 Deputies killing of Jayden Baez met with outrage at candlelight vigil

The fatal shooting of a 20-year-old man by Osceola County deputies ignited community members to hold a candlelight vigil Friday night, amid heightened scrutiny of the lack of transparency coming from Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and what activists said was a growing reputation of excessive force. Friday evening, a couple dozen community members gathered...

May 24, 2022 Grandmother fatally shoots intruder in Orange County: Is the law on her side?

A 69-year-old grandmother is currently not facing any charges for shooting and killing a stranger she said broke into her home. Virginia Morrison said she confronted the intruder when he tried to break into her home Sunday afternoon and she felt threatened by the suspect, later identified as 38-year-old Ezequiel Rosario-Torres. “I feel bad about it, but...

May 24, 2022 Lawyer for dirt bike rider 'cooked alive' when Florida cop Tasered him at gas station slams the sheriff for deploying 'military-like tactics' and a 'calculated and deceptive' effort to cover up case

The lawyer for a dirt bike rider who was 'cooked alive' after being Tasered by a cop at a gas...

May 24, 2022 Florida sheriff's deputy who tasered man while he pumped gas, setting them both alight and leaving victim covered in third-degree burns

A Florida sheriff deputy who tasered a motorcyclist as he pumped gas during a botched arrest setting them both ablaze and leaving the 26-year-old victim near death with horrific third-degree burns has been charged...

May 23, 2022 Horrifying police video captures moment man was ‘cooked alive’ when tasered at a gas station

Horrifying new body camera footage shows the moment a Florida sheriff deputy tasered a motorcyclist at a gas station and “cooked him alive” from the resulting explosive fire. The footage, released by Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, shows the body camera video of Deputy David Crawford, who moments...

May 22, 2022 Bodycam shows horrific incident that led to suspect being ‘cooked alive’ after being tasered at gas pump

A Florida dirt bike rider was “cooked alive,” according to his lawyer, after a deputy sheriff deployed a taser at a gas station. Both now are set to face charges. Cops got into a scuffle with the man at the Wawa convenience store in the Orlando area where he was apparently refilling his tank. In the the melee, his bike reportedly tipped...

May 21, 2022 Man who was ‘cooked alive’ after being tasered by deputy at gas pump should still face charges, sheriff says. The 26-year-old suffered third-degree burns to 75 per cent of his body, attorneys say

A Florida man could still face charges after he was severely burned when a Florida sheriff’s deputy tasered him at a gas station. Jean Barreto...

May 21, 2022 Florida Man With Burns To 75% Of Body After Taser Shock May Still Face Charges.

The officer who Tased the man will be charged with a misdemeanor, authorities announced this week after an investigation.
A 26-year-old Florida man who was set ablaze when a police officer Tased him earlier this year may still face criminal charges, Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez announced this week...

May 20, 2022 A sheriff’s deputy used a Taser at a gas station and set a man on fire

A Florida sheriff’s deputy is facing a criminal charge after using a Taser near gasoline, igniting a fire that severely burned a 26-year-old suspect and injured the deputy himself and two fellow officers. Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez said during a news conference Thursday that Deputy David Crawford has been placed on paid leave during an internal investigation..

May 20, 2022 Sheriff says a Florida deputy deployed a Taser near a gas spill. A suspect was 'cooked alive,' according to his lawyer.

A Florida deputy has been charged with a misdemeanor after he started a fire, injured a suspect and also hurt himself when he deployed a stun gun near a gas spill, according to law enforcement. Deputy David Crawford was placed on paid leave and charged with culpable...

May 19, 2022 Osceola deputy to be charged in Wawa Taser fire that gave man third-degree burns

Two people will be charged after a taser deployed during an attempted arrest at an Osceola County Wawa where a massive fireball ignited and burned a suspect and deputy. Surveillance video from the Wawa at John Young and Central Florida Parkway on Feb. 27 shows the flames that engulfed the suspect, 26-year-old Jean Baretto, and...

May 19, 2022 Florida man 'cooked alive' after deputy's stun gun ignites gasoline at Wawa station, lawyers say

Lawyers for a Florida man say he continues to fight for his life after he was “cooked alive” earlier this year, when a sheriff’s deputy is alleged to have shot him with a stun gun while the man was covered in gasoline from having fueled his dirt bike. Jean Barreto, 26, suffered third-degree burns over 75 percent of his body...

May 18, 2022 A Florida officer is charged after a botched arrest resulted in an explosion that left a suspect with burns over much of his body

A Florida deputy and a suspect are facing charges in relation to a botched arrest earlier this year in which an explosion allegedly set off by a Taser left the suspect with burns over much of his body, Osceola County officials announced Thursday...

May 18 Attorney: Florida deputy's Taser ignited fire at gas station during arrest of motorcyclist

Earlier this year, surveillance video was released that showed the end of an apparent pursuit between a motorcycle rider and Osceola County deputies at a Wawa gas station in Florida, where a fire erupted shortly after. The 26-year-old motorcycle rider, later identified as Jean Barretto, was seriously burned, suffering third-degree...

May 18, 2022 Questions raised in Osceola deputy confrontation that left man severely burned

Spectrum News 13 is digging deeper into the use of force by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office during a confrontation involving deputies and a man at an Orange County gas station in February 2022. For months, we’ve been requesting information surrounding the incident at an Orange County Wawa where a suspect and three deputies were burned during the incident...

May 18, 2022 ‘What are they hiding?’: Lawyers demand outside probes into Wawa fire caused by Osceola deputy’s Taser

Lawyers representing a man severely burned in a fire at a Wawa in February while being arrested by Osceola County deputy sheriffs called on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate, after state authorities found the deputy’s Taser...

May 10, 2022 Sheriff Blames Pokemon ‘Thieves’ for Fatal Police Shooting

After what began as a minor shoplifting incident involving Pokemon cards nearly two weeks ago ended in a police shooting that killed one young Hispanic man and maimed and disfigured two teens, lawyers for those teens accused an embattled Florida sheriff on Tuesday of blaming the victims for his officers’ fatal actions...

May 10, 2022 Lawyers dispute Osceola Sheriff’s account of deadly shooting

The attorney representing the people shot by Osceola County deputies outside a Kissimmee Target said Sheriff Marcos Lopez is distorting facts in the case where a young man lost his life. Lawyer Mark NeJame alleges the deputies' policing escalated the situation...

May 10, 2022 Attorneys for men shot by deputies say video counters Osceola sheriff’s claims

A second-by-second video review of the moments before Osceola County deputies killed 20-year-old Jayden Baez and wounded in Sheriff Marcos López’s retelling of what happened, lawyers representing the men said Tuesday...

May 10, 2022 Florida sheriff releases video of deadly Target parking lot deputy-involved shooting of suspected shoplifters

A Florida sheriff on Monday released surveillance footage of the moments leading up to deputies shooting and killing the accused getaway driver of suspected shoplifters in a Target parking nearly two weeks ago, showing how the now deceased young man rammed his car into department vehicles...

May 10, 2022 Osceola County Sheriff's Office provide justification for executing man at Kissimmee Target over stolen Pokemon cards

After a week of stonewalling, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office finally saw fit to release some information about their deadly shooting of a 20-year-old Jayden Baez...

May 9, 2022 Osceola sheriff releases reports, video in fatal shooting by deputies outside Target

After more than a week of refusing to provide basic details about the case, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on Monday released incident reports as well as video from the night 20-year-old Jayden Baez was shot to death by deputies outside a Kissimmee-area Target...

May 4, 2022 Osceola deputies used shoplifting suspects as ‘human guinea pigs’ before shooting, lawyers say

Osceola County deputy sheriffs fired at a car leaving the parking lot of a Target store in Kissimmee, killing 20-year-old Jayden Baez, after they boxed in and struck his black Audi with unmarked vehicles without announcing they were law enforcement, lawyers representing Baez’s family told reporters...

May 4, 2022 Family of teen fatally shot by deputies outside a Kissimmee Target files lawsuit

Attorneys for the family of Jayden Baez, 20, who was shot and killed by Osceola County deputies outside a Target in Kissimmee last week, are filing a lawsuit against the sheriff's office after new allegations have emerged. The initial arrest report shows that Osceola County deputies responded to the store on a shoplifting call...

February 10, 2022 Apopka police body cam footage to be included in use of force lawsuit

Late November 2019, Apopka cops are called to a well-being check. Jason Friend was playing music in his car in his driveway. Police say he was unresponsive to what they were asking him to do. Just released body cam footage shows the incident getting physical as the officers take Friend out of his car. They tell him to stop what he's doing and eventually tase him....

February 10, 2022 Man suing Apopka after violent 2019 arrest speaks out as lawyers release body camera footage

Before Apopka police officers violently arrested Jason Friend outside of his home the night before Thanksgiving 2019, they spoke to his neighbor, who called them because Friend was loudly listening to his music in his car while parked in the driveway in front of his home. “I know him. He’s a very nice guy. He’s a former New Jersey cop...

Oct 08, 2020 1 million face masks donated to returning citizens for Election Day

Attorney, Florida Rights Restoration Coalition want to ensure former felons have tools to vote Published on October 8, 2020 - WKMG ...

Jun 12, 2020 Sanctum Cafe co-owner says she’s divorcing husband, as harassment accusers hire attorney NeJame

Facing a firestorm of sexual harassment allegations against her husband and business partner, the co-owner of the Sanctum Cafe and ...

Jun 05, 2020 Val Demings’ Orlando police career could hurt — or help — her chances to become Joe Biden’s running mate

FILE -- Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), who served as one of the House impeachment managers in the Senate trial of President Donald ...

Jun 26, 2019 Uber makes checking rider’s age a driver’s job. After 12-year-old girl’s suicide, some don’t want that responsibility

“I was surprised at how easily I got into the Uber,” 12-year-old Benita Diamond typed as she rode in the backseat of a Toyota ...