JONESBORO, Ga. — A viral video is making its rounds and shows a metro Atlanta man's interaction with the Clayton County Police Department. 11Alive is walking you through the Ring doorbell footage and the police bodycam video that has raised so many questions.
Clayton County Police held a press conference Wednesday and said they believe what happened in the video is within their policy. At the same time, the man in the video said he's shaken and plans to move far away from Clayton County.
Police released body camera footage of the Dec. 15 interaction with a man. The video starts off with an officer questioning that man, who stood by a vehicle, which investigators believe was connected to a crime at another location.
Eugene Johnson said he's the man in the video and went outside to get his friend's dog.
“I told them it’s not my vehicle. I don’t know whose vehicle it is," Johnson said. “I was attending a housewarming or a gathering at a friend’s house.”
Clayton County Police Major Anthony Thuman said the situation could have been prevented if Johnson identified himself when an officer asked his name.
“The male refused to identify himself or provide any information but kept going to the front door, at which time on the video has been released, you can see and hear where code is punched repeatedly trying to get in the door," Thuman said.
Johnson said he didn't give his name because he isn't connected to the investigation. He added he had permission to be in his friend's house.
The viral YouTube video shows an officer telling Johnson and a woman not to go into the home.
“Again, if you’re going in that house, you’re going to jail. Both of you," the officer said in the video.
In the video, the woman asked, 'Why?' And the officer replied, 'for obstruction.'
“The female officer told me I could go in, and as soon as she told me I could go in, the door opening, and that’s when he grabbed me by my neck," Johnson said.
In the body camera footage though, you can't hear the female officer and only the male officer trying to keep Johnson outside.
Clayton County Police said Johnson hit his head on the door during the struggle, and Johnson appears to have blood coming from his head in the doorbell video.
“It’s healing now. It’s what, like 17 days later," Johnson said.
This may leave you wondering what your rights are if you find yourself in a similar situation. Gerald Griggs is a civil rights attorney and president of the Georgia NAACP.
“One, know your rights. Two, remain silent, and three, ask for an attorney," Griggs said.
Griggs said he still has questions after seeing both videos.
"It does not seem that he was related to the car except for standing by the car, and if he was in custody, he had every single right to refuse to answer questions," Griggs said. "If he isn't in custody, then he has every right to go into the house."
Many people have asked on social media if you have to give your name and cooperate with a police investigation.
“There’s some case law that says he does have to give his identification, but he absolutely has the right to refuse questioning," Griggs said.
Griggs believes the video may show some state and federal Constitutional issues.
“It appeared as though this civilian was unrelated to anything they were investigating and that they attempted to detain him and question him. That brings in his 4th Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures and also his 5th Amendment rights to remain silent," Griggs said.
Johnson and the woman in the video currently don't face any charges.
"They're released pending further investigation," Thuman said.
Police said they're conducting an internal review, which is typical in any situation where force is used.