MIAMI (WSVN) – A man, who was cleared of a crime that kept him behind bars awaiting trial for nearly two years, has been freed, and along with his attorney is taking action against the police department that locked him up.
Simeon Boykins and his attorney, Stephan Lopez, say he was falsely arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.
A week after walking free after his charges were dropped, the duo is speaking to 7News, where they said they are suing the Opa-locka Police Department.
“I know for sure I didn’t do it. I was at the house,” said Boykins in an interview with 7News.
Opa-locka Police officers showed up to Boykins’ home in June 2024 with their guns drawn to make an arrest. According to police, he was being accused of attempted murder and other offenses.
Body camera footage captures officers entering the home.
“Police department! Police Department,” yelled the officers.
Boykins said he was detained in mere seconds.
“‘Put your hands up!’ Put me on the ground, handcuffed me,” he told 7News as he recalled his arrest.
He says when officers showed up at his home to take him in, he asked them: “What am I being charged with? What did I do?”
According to police, Boykins pistol-whipped, robbed, and shot a man in the area of Northwest 31st Avenue and 134th Street.
During the interrogation of Boykins, police told him they had video evidence as well as victim and witness statements.
“We got video from that area, from people in that area. We’re not making things up,” cops said.
Speaking to 7News on Monday, Lopez fired back after watching the video.
“That’s false! He never left the house,” said Lopez. “You have the officers telling him that they have videos, fabricating the evidence that they did not have.”
“I was at home. I did not do it,” said Boykins.
Boykins’ father, Roy Hardemon, a state representative who has since passed away, defended his son while speaking to officers after the arrest.
“Fact is, neither one of y’all saw him nowhere,” said Hardemon.
But the 2024 arrest wasn’t the first time Hardemon had to deal with his son’s legal trouble. In 2016, Boykins was accused of a hit-and-run arrest that sent a teen to the hospital.
At that time, Hardemon spoke to 7News after the hit-and-run arrest.
“You gotta call the police, and that’s what we did,” said Hardemon.
Boykins spent a year behind bars for that crime.
But as for his latest case, which is now closed, he maintains his innocence.
“I did not do it. I’ve been going through a lot,” said Boykins.
Boykins adds that since his release from jail, he’s received messages from acquaintances of the Opa-locka Police Department.
7News has reached out to Opa-locka Police for comment on the allegations. A police spokesperson said they will get back to 7News.
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