JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A former narcotics detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is planning to sue the department and Sheriff Mike Williams.
Bryan Turner and his attorney sent a letter of intent ahead of filing a lawsuit in September.
Turner is one of three former detectives who was attempting an undercover drug deal back in February of 2017 in Jacksonville when a man came up to their undercover car and pointed what looked like a real gun at Turner; that man was later identified as Jerome Allen.
In defense, Turner fired shots, killing Allen.
As the investigation into the shooting continues, Sheriff Williams announced that all three detectives were placed on leave a week later, without pay and awaiting dismissal as JSO charged them with tampering with evidence and conspiracy to tamper with evidence.
"Basically my life has been turned upside down," Turner said.
He has since retired from law enforcement and moved.
"Me children were in jeopardy, my family was in jeopardy, I had to move to another state."
He was undercover off and on for a decade in Jacksonville. When those charges were announced last year his career came to a screeching halt. With his name out in the public he could no longer be undercover and he was concerned with his family's safety with his cover blown.
"If you ask anyone who knows anything about the sheriff’s office it should have been handled internally."
At issue were beer cans the detectives said were used as props to blend in with the suspected drug dealers, but after the shooting, they were thrown away. The sheriff concluded what they did was illegal since they were "part of evidence."
In a letter from Turner’s attorney detailing their intent to now sue, they list “defamation of character, negligence, false arrest, malicious prosecution and violation of civil rights” as a result of those charges.
"They should’ve gotten the full story before acting, they arrested us before I even gave my statement."
In August 2017, the State Attorney’s Office dropped the charges, saying the beer cans were part of the undercover operation and added that each detective fully cooperated with the investigation, so they declined to pursue it any further. But Turner says the damage was already done. He had planned on running for Nassau County Sheriff and the negative spotlight ended that dream.
"The beer was never evidence, it has been in undercover narcotics vehicles for years and years and years," Turner.
In a recording from the night of the shooting, he admits he threw the cans away but he didn’t think it was a big deal.
"It was a traumatic experience, the last thing you’re worried about is what people are asking you or telling you about," Turner said. "I was still worried about someone else coming out from behind the house."
He hopes the lawsuit will bring light to what he says is the truth.
"Being treated this way, like a criminal, when I did nothing wrong, it makes me never want to put on a police uniform again."
First Coast News requested a comment from the sheriff, but JSO couldn’t comment since the matters involve ongoing litigation.