TAMARAC, FLA. (WSVN) - The family of a teen pepper sprayed outside a Tamarac McDonald’s restaurant are asking the Broward State Attorney’s Office to bring forward charges against the two Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies involved.
Clintina Rolle, the mother of Delucca Rolle, spoke about the April 18 incident that was caught on viral cellphone video.
“It feels so fresh to me,” she said. “It still feels like a wound — still opened up.”
The video showed BSO Sgt. Greg LaCerra pepper spraying Delucca Rolle in the face. Rolle then could be seen walking away from LaCerra after he was sprayed.
Then, BSO Deputy Christopher Krickovich could be seen grabbing Rolle, throwing him on the pavement, smashing his face into the ground and punching the side of his head.
Clintina Rolle said her son suffered a broken nose and is still affected months later.
“He try not to talk about it, so he try to suppress it like it never happened,” she said.
However, attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Rolle family, said it has been two months, and they want the SAO to file charges.
“Everybody, Stevie Wonder could see that this was aggravated assault and battery,” Crump said.
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said, “We can’t move forward until we actually hear back from the state attorney, and that is no different than any other internal affairs investigation that take place.”
According to the SAO, prosecutors have interviewed 15 witnesses, along with Delucca. They received his medical records and said the office has to get it right, which takes time.
The SAO then said they just met with an expert witness that is out of town.
“We anticipate our prosecutors will make their decision very soon. Again, it is most important that a full investigation is done and that the process is conducted in a very thorough manner,” the SAO said in a statement.
Broward County Public Defender Gordon Weekes said the SAO is treating the case differently because deputies are involved.
“The suggestion that the state attorney needs to have an expert in order to make a filing decision is actually an insult to all of our common sense and decency that practice in the criminal defense area,” he said. “Every day in this courthouse, time and time again, folks are being arrested and prosecuted without any videos.”
Meanwhile, Clintina said she wants the SAO to make the right decision.
“I wanna tell the state attorney to make the right decision because you’re telling me that if you do not charge these officers, that my son’s life don’t matter,” she said. “My son’s like anyone’s child. My son is like your child.”
The SAO said the investigation should be complete in the next few days.
According to Rolle’s attorney, if charges are not brought by July 4, they said to expect protests.
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