“I grew a lot after this incident”; Leon County Democratic Leader Addresses Body Camera Footage of High Drug Suspect in 2022

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Leon County’s top Democrat is addressing newly released body camera footage showing him drunk in a car and a Tallahassee police officer letting him get away without arrest or punishment in 2022.

The video was published for the first time A few days ago, the publication The Capitolist, which called itself “center-right”. The release comes days before the 2024 election, which will be held on November 5. Ray is the chairman of the Leon County Democratic Party and an aide to District 3 Commissioner Jeremy Matlow. The incident captured on the bodycam footage occurred on February 8, 2022, according to timestamps on the video. That was before Ray was elected to lead the county Democratic Party.

As the footage circulated, questions were raised about the officer’s decision to let Ray walk away without further action. WCTV reviewed the video, spoke with the state attorney’s office about the incident and gathered additional perspective from a local attorney who specializes in cases involving dangerous alcohol.

Video

The incident, shown on the body camera recording, happened around 11:30 p.m. on February 8, 2022. It began when an officer responded to a Circle K gas station on North Monroe Street, just steps from Tallahassee Police Headquarters.

An officer who identifies himself as “Officer Campbell” knocks on Ray’s car window to wake him up. The car is parked and not running. The officer and Ray start talking. At times, Ray responds late or mumbles during interactions. When asked if he had been drinking, he nods.

Minutes later, Ray tells the officer that he was at the Governor’s Club in downtown Tallahassee before ending up at the Circle K. When asked how much he had drunk, Ray told the officer “too much.”

The officer tells Ray several times that he is not going to jail.

“I’m going to give you a break,” the officer tells Ray before asking if there’s anyone who can pick him up at the gas station. The officer allows Ray to call the woman he identified as his girlfriend. As Ray waits for her to arrive, the officer continues to question him. Ray confirms to the officer that he is Assistant Commissioner Matlow.

The officer cautions Ray for apparently driving under the influence, but reiterates that he will not take Ray to jail.

“You’re sitting in your car and you’re drunk. I can clearly tell you’re drunk, okay?” said the officer. “DUI? perhaps. But I will say this: if I caught you on that road, you could definitely kill someone. Do you realize how irresponsible that is? I’m going to give you some of that because I’m not going to take you to jail or anything.’

The full video of the meeting can be viewed here.

Ray answers

In a statement to WCTV, Ray shared that he has since gotten sober and thanked those who supported him.

Commissioner Matlow also commented on this WCTV story. He wrote: “My father suffered from alcoholism all his life and eventually died of cirrhosis of the liver. I’ve been sober for 15 years, so this is personal to me. In politics, people will always try to attack you on your worst days. Ryan admitted his mistake many years ago and decided to stop drinking completely. I’m proud of him for that.”

Politicians are in doubt

WCTV requested documentation from TPD regarding the 2022 meeting with Ray. This request is still being processed. We reached out to TPD for comment on the officer’s interaction and decision, but have not heard back.

Many TPD policies are like this in public access on the website of the city council. The department’s impaired driving guidelines set out expectations for officers who encounter someone they believe is driving “under the influence of drugs or alcohol”. This includes recognizing “behavior or cues often exhibited by a person driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs” and conducting a field sobriety test.

1. When encountering a driver who appears unwell, they “must investigate” to determine whether the person was “driving or under the influence.”

2. If an officer has “reasonable suspicion,” he “shall” conduct sobriety training. “If there is probable cause to indicate that the driver is impaired, that person should be arrested.”

3. Finally, TPD policy allows police officers to exercise discretion for non-felony offenses such as DUI, including issuing a ticket to the driver or letting the person off with a verbal warning.

The TPD’s general orders also cover “Arrests and Alternatives to Arrests,” which instruct officers to “use good judgment and discretion” to either make an arrest, institute an alternative such as a pretrial detention program or issue a notice to appear — or release a suspect with a verbal warning .

The Florida statute also recognizes that “law enforcement officers, in their discretion, may issue a civil citation or similar pre-arrest diversion program notice to certain adults who have committed a qualifying misdemeanor” that falls within a DUI.

It’s unclear if an internal investigation will be conducted into the collision or if the officer decided to let Ray go.

Legal perspective

When asked about the incident Tuesday, State’s Attorney Jack Campbell told WCTV that the statute of limitations had run out, meaning Ray could no longer be charged.

WCTV also contacted local attorney Fred Conrad, who specializes in cases involving dangerous alcohol. Conrad shared that, from his perspective, it’s not 100% clear whether the officer violated policy. He added that as a citizen, he expected the officer to do more during the incident. Conrad said he represents clients who have been “arrested for less.” In his view, the key question is whether this scenario was a good exercise of the officer’s discretion.

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