Jacqueline A. Smith, a Navy wife and mother of two, recently had her mistaken arrest on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story expunged. The arrest occurred due to a case of mistaken identity, with Smith being wrongly taken into custody for an extradition warrant from Baltimore despite having a different middle name and birthdate from the actual suspect. Smith had to fly back to Virginia for the expungement hearing, where her attorney, Niki Bailey, and Virginia Beach Police Officer Kaleb Brewer appeared before Judge Paul D. Merullo.
Despite the expungement order being granted, Smith and Bailey expressed concerns about inaccurate information in court documents, including the wrong middle name, social security number, and fingerprints. Bailey emphasized the need for corrections to prevent similar incidents in the future. Smith, who faced inconvenience and trauma as a result of the mistaken arrest, is worried about the impact on her professional career and future background checks.
Bailey criticized how law enforcement agencies handled the situation and suggested that Smith pursue civil legal actions. Both Smith and Bailey hope that local law enforcement will enact policies to prevent similar incidents, particularly targeting women of color. Smith will also be appearing in court for a traffic violation later in the month.
The Virginia Beach NAACP is further investigating the case, citing inconsistencies in information provided by the Virginia Beach Police Department. Truth Voices affiliate WAVY has requested an interview with law enforcement officials to discuss the matter further. Despite the expungement, court documents still display the wrong middle name, prompting Bailey to call for improved policies to ensure accurate identification and prevent future errors.
