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BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) — The Marlboro County Sheriff and a former deputy were indicted on assault and battery charges Tuesday stemming from an incident when a man in the county’s jail was repeatedly tased in May, according to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
According to the indictment, Sheriff Charles Lemon ordered former Deputy David Cook to deploy his laser on Jarrel Lee Johnson at the Marlboro County Detention Center.
Officials said the men continued to activate the taser at least two times after the initial deployment to subdue the suspect while inside the jail.
The indictments alleged that the assault on Johnson was “likely to produce great bodily injury or death,” the attorney general said.
An indictment against Cook said that he deployed his taser into Johnson’s chest and leg.
FOX 46 Chief Investigator Jody Barr recently obtained a video of the incident. Barr’s investigation started with allegations of corruption against a Marlboro County Probate Judge.
Lemmon and Cook are charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and misconduct in office, a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Governor Henry McMaster suspended Sheriff Lemon from office and appointed former Bennettsville Chief of Police Larry McNeil to serve as interim sheriff. McNeil will serve in the role until Lemon is acquitted, convicted, the indictment is disposed of, or until a sheriff is elected in the next general election.
Watch the bodycam video in its entirety below:
Cook was no longer employed in law enforcement.
