JAY-Z and his legal group Team ROC are set to defend Wisconsin man, Jermelle English Jr., who was wrongfully and violently arrested by the Kenosha Police Department.
According to multiple sources, Team ROC has teamed up with Alex Spiro, an NYC-based lawyer, to support English, seeking to get all charges dropped and potentially file suit against the Kenosha Police Department.
Back in July, English was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest by the Kenosha PD, following multiple officers slamming English to the ground, and diffusing pepper spray in an Applebees. It was later revealed that police were investigating a hit-and-run case, in which English had no involvement and was completely innocent.
Spiro is no stranger to JAY-Z and Team ROC, having assisted in rapper 21 Savage’s immigration battles in 2019, and has represented JAY himself multiple times in the past. Spiro’s most recent endeavor has been representing Elon Musk on behalf of Twitter over the past two years.
Established as a division within Roc Nation, Team ROC’s motive is to help fight for social justice by giving a voice for the voiceless, as stated on their website. According to Team ROC, they have raised over $38 million for social impact over the past four years.
As seen in the video taken by an Applebees employee, police officers are seen continuously striking English after he fell to the ground, all in front of his one-year-old daughter. The actual suspects in the hit-and-run were eventually found hiding in the bathroom of the Applebees. Despite being wrongfully arrested, English still faces these charges against the Kenosha Police Department.
According to the Team ROC managing director Dania Diaz, “The reckless arrest of Jermelle English Jr. and the careless endangerment of his infant child by the Kenosha Police Department is an absolute travesty … the Team ROC team is here to support Jermelle and his family through this traumatic experience, demand justice and hold the Kenosha police officers accountable.”
The Kenosha Police Department is still undergoing an internal investigation stemming from the assault on English, according to Officer Leo Viola.
