Appeals court affirms Stand Your Ground for Broward deputy involved in rough teen take-down
A Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy involved in the rough take-down of a high school student in 2019 won’t have to stand trial on battery charges, an appeals court ruled Thursday.
The Fourth District Court of Appeals in West Palm Beach affirmed a lower court ruling that Broward Sheriff Deputy Gregory LaCerra was protected by the state’s Stand Your Ground law, finding he was justified in feeling threatened during DeLucca Rolle’s arrest outside a McDonald’s two years ago. The incident was caught on cellphone, which showed the teen’s head being pounded on the pavement.
LaCerra is still facing charges of falsifying a police report and conspiracy to falsify a report.
The struggle between Rolle, LeCerra and another officer, Christopher Krickovich, was caught on cellphone that showed the teen’s head being pounded on the pavement.
In the earlier ruling in October 2020, Broward County Court Judge Jill Levy ruled that Krickovich still must stand trail on a battery charge.
Rolle was arrested on April 18, 2019, outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Tamarac where dozens of teens had gathered and police were trying to disperse the crowd. LaCerra, Krickovich and others were there because a fight had broken out the previous day at the same spot.
When an officer went to arrest a different teen believed to have taken part in that fight, he dropped his cellphone near Rolle, who was a 15-year-old J.P. Taravella High School student at the time. Police said Rolle disobeyed orders when he picked up the phone.
LaCerra pepper sprayed him before Krickovich grabbed the teen and slammed his head to the ground. Krickovich was fired soon after by Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony.
The incident garnered national attention, with Rolle’s family hiring renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and sports celebrities like Lebron James weighing in on the deputy’s actions. The charges against Rolle were dropped.
