A U.S. Navy veteran who was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), for charges that were later dropped, is speaking out after receiving a $45,000 settlement from the city earlier this year.

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Braxton Smith, who served 10 years in the Navy, said he wants to empower his community by sharing his experience and encouraging others to hold law enforcement accountable when their rights are violated.

Smith was detained and searched by members of a JSO task force in November 2022 after leaving a convenience store on Golfair Boulevard. The encounter, captured on body ca

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