Wildwood Cops Won’t Face Charges in Viral Beach Arrest
Prosecutors say the officers’ actions in the arrest of Philadelphian Emily Weinman “did not meet the evidentiary standards to warrant criminal charges.”
Photo: Wildwood Police Department.
The two Wildwood police officers who initiated the viral beach arrest of 20-year-old Philadelphia resident Emily Weinman over Memorial Day weekend will not face criminal charges for their actions, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office has announced.
After the public voiced concerns over the apparent use of force by one of the officers in restraining Weinman on May 26th, a preliminary investigation was launched by the Professional Standards Unit of the prosecutor’s office to determine whether any violations of New Jersey’s Use of Justifiable Force statute had occurred. The probe included reviews of the footage captured by police body cameras, police dashcam video, and a video taken by a private citizen that was viewed more than 7 million times on social media.
Once the investigation wrapped up, it was determined by the prosecutor’s office that the actions of the arresting officers “did not meet the evidentiary standards to warrant criminal charges.” The Wildwood Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit is now conducting its own inquiry into the arrest. The department did not respond for a request for comment on the officers’ current status.
“As County Prosecutor, I recognize that the video footage has raised a lot of questions regarding the officers’ actions,” Jeffrey Sutherland said in a statement. “A decision such as this is not based on emotion; it is based upon applying the proper laws, policies and directives that govern law enforcement. Members of the public should understand that no matter what your opinion is regarding the subject event, it is not based on a full review of the evidence. Ms. Weinman and her attorney are entitled to due process and they have not yet received the information that they will be entitled to as part of the legal process.”
Weinman appeared on Good Morning America on Wednesday morning, speaking for the first time publicly since the incident. “They see one video, one situation, and saying all this negative stuff about a person,” the Philadelphia native explained. “But one situation doesn’t define someone. I’m not a bad person. I’m not this person that they’re out here trying to make me seem like.”
You can check out video of Weinman’s full interview on the program below.
