Handcuffed man in custody at North Carolina sheriff’s office was Tasered SEVEN times - leaving him with permanent memory loss
By Jenny Awford
Daily Mail
October 3, 2016
Police are being probed after they were filmed punching and repeatedly tasering a handcuffed suspect in custody - leaving him with permanent memory loss four years later.
Shocking footage shows ex-deputy Larry Jenkins using a stun gun on Jack Slaughter seven times while he was held at Graham County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina.
In August, a judge found the 'excessive force' used violated Slaughter's constitutional rights and the first-degree murder charge against him was dropped.
Superior Court Judge Bradley B. Letts found that Slaughter's memory loss from the 'repeated and unnecessary shocks' left him unable to assist with his own defense.
The federal Department of Justice and the FBI are now investigating the case, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported.
Surveillance footage shows how Slaughter was treated by police after he was detained on suspicion of stealing a vehicle in 2012.
After kicking out at one of the officers, Slaughter was filmed being punched by former deputy Travis Moody.
The footage then shows deputy Jenkins tasering Slaughter.
He fell to the ground and hit his head on a metal cabinet - which left a deep cut.
Slaughter was then filmed writhing on the floor in pain as he was repeatedly tasered in an ordeal lasting around 50 minutes.
At one point, Jenkins was seen retrieving a second Taser from a drawer in the office.
Taser cartridges used in the incident, which are normally logged when used, have never been located.
Judge Letts found that Slaughter had been shocked seven times in less than 30 minutes.
He also noted that the deputies, who sometimes outnumbered Slaughter four-to-one, never tried to use more humane restraints such as leg shackles.
More than a year after this footage was taken, Graham County deputies charged Slaughter with the murder of Robert Smith.
The killing occurred on April 5, 2012 - the same day Slaughter was accused of stealing a vehicle.
But the charges were dropped in August after Judge Letts found Slaughter had no memory of the events because of the damage caused by the Taser.
Following this verdict, the Department of Justice confirmed a civil rights investigation has been opened.
Two FBI agents visited the Sheriff's Office last week and collected the case files as well as the stun gun used against Slaughter,Chief Deputy Jerry Crisp said.
Slaughter has said he is 'pleased' the case is being examined - four years on.
'I am pleased that, finally, someone is operating on, not necessarily on my behalf personally, but on behalf of anyone put in that situation,' Slaughter said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s shit like this that gives anti-police groups cause to shriek police brutality.
1 comment:
Idiots
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