A 32-year-old Akron man, Jordan Ely, who was forcefully arrested by two police officers on July 1, has been found not guilty of resisting arrest following a two-day jury trial. The incident, which took place in the Copley Road Family Dollar parking lot, was captured on cell phone video and shared on social media, sparking public outrage. Ely was punched three times by the officers during the arrest.
Ely had previously pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl-related substances, a fourth-degree felony, in relation to the incident. As a result, Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands added additional probation time to Ely’s existing sentence and ordered him to undergo drug treatment.
Imokhai Okolo, Ely’s attorney, expressed his satisfaction with the not guilty verdict, stating that he and Ely feel validated by the decision. Okolo believed that taking the case to trial was worth it, emphasizing that this fight can result in victories.
The arrest of Jordan Ely was caught on body-worn police footage as well as by bystanders who recorded the incident on their cell phones. In the footage, Ely can be seen exiting his vehicle, leaving his 1-year-old son in the back seat. As he moves towards the rear of his vehicle, the two officers forcefully take him to the ground.
During the arrest, one of the officers wraps his arm around and under Ely’s neck, delivering two punches to his face and head. Ely then tries to push his body up from the ground, and in response, the officers throw a third punch, flattening him and placing a knee on his back. Throughout the incident, the officers repeatedly tell Ely to stop resisting and give up his hands.
Shortly after the arrest, officers discovered a 2.5-gram bag of white powder that tested positive for fentanyl.
During the trial, Okolo cross-examined the two officers involved in the arrest and questioned their decision to run Ely’s plates, which ultimately led to the arrest. The officers claimed that they ran his plates based on their training and cited three reasons for their actions: Ely was driving in a high-crime neighborhood, he entered the oncoming traffic lane, and he turned his head away from them as he drove by their cruiser. Okolo argued that these actions amounted to profiling and contended that the officers ran Ely’s plates without probable cause.
Following the conclusion of the trial, Okolo announced his intention to file a civil suit against the two officers involved in Ely’s arrest and the police department.
Imokhai Okolo, after leaving the Jones Day law firm last year, started an independent practice in Akron. He had previously been denied a seat on the city’s new Citizens’ Police Oversight Board.
In summary, Jordan Ely, the 32-year-old Akron man who was forcefully arrested by two police officers, has been found not guilty of resisting arrest. The incident, captured on video, sparked public outcry and led to Ely’s attorney filing a civil suit against the officers and the police department. Despite pleading guilty to possession of fentanyl-related substances, Ely now faces additional probation time and drug treatment as ordered by Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands.
