Sometime between his arrest on narcotic charges and sitting for this mugshot, Rodgerick Everett Jr. sustained several scraped to his face, a swollen lip, and a neck injury that required a cervical collar. Miami-Dade Police says that Everett, the son of a long-time South Florida officer, inflicted the injuries on himself while thrashing about in the back of police cruiser. However, Rodgerick and his lawyer claim that he was beaten severely by the arresting officers.
Police arrested Everett on Tuesday after claiming that they spotted someone in a car Everett was riding in buying drugs. According to CBS Miami, police approached the car with weapons drawn, pulled Everett out of the car, and immediately put him in plastic handcuffs. Police say they found a plastic baggie stuffed into Everett's sock containing what appeared to be cocaine and marijuana.
The police report says that Everett "became belligerent and struck his head multiple times on the metal cage within the marked police vehicle." Everett says his injuries were inflicted by police.
"Our understanding is he suffered from a broken C-7 vertebrae in his neck and abrasions to the right side of his face and his right foot," lawyer Juan Garcia tells CBS Miami.
Garcia says Everett was beaten by police and that the injuries to his foot are a result of being dragged barefoot.
Miami-Dade Police say they're investigating the incident, but point to Everett's long history of run-ins with the police. In fact, Everett was out on bond for a previous arrest at the time.
Complicating the matter is the fact that Everett's father has served as a law enforcement officer in South Florida for 16 years, though CBS Miami does not identify which agency he works for.
Everett is now sit in jail facing multiple narcotics charges, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest without violence. He also faces previous charges of armed burglar, assault with a firearm, and third-degree grand theft.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
