TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has released the body camera video from the search executed at the Tallahassee home of fired Florida COVID-19 data curator Rebekah Jones.
The footage was publicly released Thursday afternoon after Jones shared her own clip of the search on social media on Monday. Jones helped create Florida's COVID-19 dashboard before being terminated for insubordination in May.
"The actions of FDLE agents have been vilified over the past few days regarding the legal search warrant executed at the residence of Ms. Rebekah Jones. Because of inaccurate and incomplete statements given by certain individuals, the body camera video taken from outside the home is being made available," FDLE wrote in their statement.
According to FDLE, the body camera video starts at 8:25 a.m., when a Tallahassee Police Department officer and an FDLE agent walk up to the door.
At 8:26 a.m., FDLE said they began ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door.
"During the initial approach, agents tried to minimize disruption to the children, attempting to speak with Ms. Jones at the door to explain the search warrant," FDLE wrote.
Around 8:31 a.m., agents went to the back of the house and saw Jones’ husband going upstairs. They said that the situation continued for 23 minutes as Jones refused to cooperate even as agents called her multiple times.
When they went inside the home, agents saw a video camera pointed in the direction of the front door, which seemed to be recording the entire time the agents were inside the home.
Jones' video was not seized during the search warrant. Neither were electronic devices belonging to Jones’ children and husband after being "forensically examined."
“I am proud of the way these FDLE agents performed. I can only hope those same individuals who criticized these public safety heroes will now apologize and condemn the actions of Ms. Jones," FDLE Commissioner Swearingen stated. "The media should also demand Ms. Jones release the entirety of the video she recorded while agents were present in her home.”
To watch the first part of the video, click here: https://vimeo.com/489556079.
To watch the second part of the video, click here: https://vimeo.com/489554493.
