CBS2 Chicago/YouTube
Body cam footage shows one-time Bellator fighter Jerald Williams performing a body slam during an arrest.
Chicago PD officer Jerald Williams has been relieved of his duties after footage of a recent arrest went viral, sparking accusations of police brutality. Williams is an MMA fighter who once competed for Bellator.
Chicago CBS 2 shared police body cam footage that appeared to capture Williams body slamming Bernard Kersh onto concrete on November 28th, 2019. The video can be seen below:
Police encountered Kersh on 79th and Cottage Grove and were serving him a ticket for drinking when the incident took place. Police allege that during the ticketing Kersh resisted arrest and then spat on and licked Williams’ face.
“I didn’t spit at no officer,” Kersh told CBS 2. “I didn’t lick no officer’s face.”
Alexa Van Brunt, legal director of the MacArthur Justice Center at Northwestern University, called the body slam “excessive” and said that incidents like this “shouldn’t happen.”
“The degree of, or lack of care shown to [Kersh] through the whole incident from start to finish, is really appalling,” said Van Brunt.
As an MMA fighter Williams used the nickname ‘Bacon and Eggs’. He had a pro record of 3-1 for fights taking place between 2009 and 2012. His last professional bout was at Bellator 84. Williams also has an amateur record of 2-0.