“What is your reason?”
That’s the calm, clear question 22-year-old William McNeil Jr. asked Jacksonville police officers during a February 19, 2025, traffic stop. What followed was anything but calm.
McNeil, a young Black man, was pulled over for allegedly driving without his headlights on. Within moments, the encounter escalated. Body camera and bystander footage show officers shattering his car window, striking him in the face, and dragging him from the vehicle. He was left with a concussion, a chipped tooth, stitches, and short-term memory loss yet the only convictions he received were for resisting an officer without violence and driving with a suspended license. The original violations—headlights and seatbelt citations were dismissed.
Now, civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels are taking up his case, calling the officers’ actions “blatant excessive force.” Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) claims an internal investigation is underway. But as history tells us, these internal reviews often end in silence or qualified immunity.
This disturbing incident is far from isolated and it’s a stark example of why tools like GoVia could save lives.
🛡️ What is GoVia?
GoVia is a mobile application designed to protect drivers especially Black and Brown motorists—during police stops by offering real-time legal support, livestreaming, and digital documentation tools. Built by developers and legal experts deeply connected to the lived experiences of racialized policing, GoVia seeks to close the gap between vulnerable civilians and accountability systems.
GoVia equips users with:
- 📲 Instant video recording (automatically uploads to cloud)
- ⚖️ Live access to legal counsel
- 📍 GPS location sharing with trusted contacts
- 📂 Digital storage of ID, registration, insurance, and other documents
- 🔴 Emergency “Record + Notify” button to alert your network and lawyers
🔎 Why McNeil’s Case Proves GoVia’s Value
Had William McNeil Jr. been using GoVia, several key aspects of his interaction with the police might have been different or at least better documented for legal purposes:
- Immediate Legal Counsel
GoVia could have connected McNeil to a lawyer the moment he was pulled over. Legal professionals can de-escalate tensions, explain driver rights, and serve as a witness. - Cloud-Based Video Evidence
While bystander footage exists, bodycams can malfunction or “fall off.” GoVia would have provided a separate, secure angle proof immune to police control. - Emergency Contact Alert
Within seconds, McNeil’s family or trusted friends would have received a GPS ping and video of the unfolding situation—possibly helping get aid to him faster. - Real-Time Accountability
Knowing they were being recorded by a third-party system, not just bodycams they control, officers might have thought twice before turning violent.
⚖️ Case Law & Legal Backdrop
Legal precedent around police violence and citizens’ rights continues to evolve but much of it remains stacked in favor of law enforcement. Still, several important cases are relevant:
- Tennessee v. Garner (1985): Ruled that police cannot use deadly force on a fleeing suspect who poses no immediate threat. The aggressive nature of McNeil’s arrest raises questions under this framework.
- Graham v. Connor (1989): Established the “objective reasonableness” standard for use of force. McNeil was unarmed, non-aggressive, and asking questions. The violence appears unreasonable under this standard.
- Brown v. City of Houston (5th Cir. 2019): Recognized that excessive force can occur even when a suspect is resisting, especially if the resistance is non-violent or passive.
- Qualified Immunity Doctrine: A major hurdle in civil rights cases. GoVia’s recording system could be crucial in piercing this shield by documenting misconduct in real-time and undermining “reasonable belief” defenses.
💡 What GoVia Offers Black Communities
Police stops have long been traumatic and disproportionately deadly for Black drivers. According to a 2023 study by the Stanford Open Policing Project, Black drivers are 20% more likely to be stopped, and more than twice as likely to experience force than white drivers.
GoVia is designed for us, by us. It serves as a technological buffer between over-policing and Black survival.
This is more than an app it’s a digital witness, a protector, and an empowerment tool.
📚 Want to Learn More?
Here are some powerful books that contextualize cases like McNeil’s within a larger system of racial injustice:
- “Policing the Black Man” by Angela J. Davis
- “The Condemnation of Blackness” by Khalil Gibran Muhammad
- “Chokehold: Policing Black Men” by Paul Butler
- “Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color” by Andrea J. Ritchie
- “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander
📲 Hashtags to Join the Movement:
- #JusticeForMcNeil
- #GoViaNow
- #DigitalDefense
- #BlackLivesMatter
- #ProtectBlackDrivers
- #AccountabilityIsNow
- #GoViaForUs
- #KnowYourRights
- #DriveWhileBlack
- #StopPoliceBrutality
If you or someone you know wants to stay safer during a traffic stop, www.GoVia.app and subscribe today. It won’t stop racism—but it might just save your life.
