Woman seen in viral Tuscaloosa police arrest video reacts to release of body camera video

TUSCALOOSA, AL (WBRC) - Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven Anderson said Wednesday that he was disgusted while watching body camera footage of two officers arresting a 22-year-old woman.

Police released that body camera footage Wednesday morning.

The woman arrested, Jhasmynn Sheppard, sent WBRC FOX6 News this statement:

“I’m glad that everything was brought to the light finally and people see I wasn’t that aggressive, cruel, psychotic person they tried to make me out to be.”

The nearly five minute body cam footage shows Sheppard pleading for police not to arrest her. Sheppard was pulled over after allegedly leaving the scene of an accident.

Sheppard was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, assaulting and disarming a police officer; charges police chief Steven Anderson says may be dropped.

We spoke to Sheppard upon her release from jail Monday.

“I’m still begging and pleading. I can’t breath. Y’all are hurting me. Just, begging and pleading,” Sheppard described of her April 19, 2019 arrest. “Then he [the police officer] was like, ‘b****, put your hand behind your back! I’ll put my gun to your head and make you put your hand behind your back.’ They were threatening me and calling me all out my name.”

Chief Steven Anderson condemned the two officers who arrested Sheppard because to their conduct: “The language and conduct is offensive to many. It is also offensive to myself. It does not reflect the training or teachings that we do here at the Tuscaloosa Police Department."

The two officers involved in the arrest have been put on desk duty. The officers now go before the review board who will recommend disciplinary action to the chief.

Sheppard says police still have her car in impound and she does not have the money to get it out.

We’ve reached out to TPD about Sheppard’s car. We will update this story when we hear back.

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