Suspended Marlboro County Sheriff’s Federal Trial: Day 2 Overview
The second day of the federal trial concerning the suspended Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon concluded in Florence. The trial’s focus is an alleged excessive use of force incident involving Sheriff Lemon and a tasered prisoner. It was another day of testimonies presented to the court, providing more insights on the incident.
Witnesses Share Their Accounts
Over the two-day trial so far, a variety of witnesses have taken the stand, including two correctional officers who were present at the incident, a former deputy, two law enforcement officials, and the father of the prisoner, Reverend Ronnie Johnson. Their testimonies have constructed different perspectives on the controversial event in question.
Reverend Ronnie Johnson, the father of the prisoner involved in the taser incident, was one of the highlighted witnesses on the second day of the trial. He shared that when he initially heard about the incident, he was informed his son was trying to “attack the sheriff.”
Testifying, Reverend Johnson disclosed his reluctance to watch the body camera footage, as he did not want to witness his son in pain. It took an official’s explanation in December 2021, clearly stating that his son wasn’t physically aggressive toward the sheriff, for him to watch the footage. When he heard Lemon tell an officer to “Tase him in the head,” he admitted that he interpreted it as “asking him to kill my son.”
The Background of Sheriff Charles Lemon
Another witness who took the stand discussed Sheriff Lemon’s training records. Facts revealed that Lemon kick-started his career at the Bennettsville Police Department back in 1985. Over the years, he worked at multiple city and county departments before eventually moving back to Marlboro County in 2005.
The incident prompting the ongoing trial was said to have happened in May 2020 in Marlboro County. The accusation states that Lemon instructed former deputy David Andrew Cook to use a Taser on the prisoner, Jarrel Johnson, without any legal justification. This allegedly happened six different times, intensifying the seriousness of the case.
A Father’s Perspective
Reverend Ronnie Johnson also revealed to the court an encounter that happened in 2017 where Sheriff Lemon helped him calm down his son after a concerning call suggested Jarrel intended to harm his ex-wife. Johnson stated that Lemon’s assistance on that auspicious day made him feel grateful.
However, a 2020 incident took another turn when he found out his son was tasered multiple times supposedly without any legal justification. As the trial continues, further developments are expected, shedding more light on the validity of the accusations on the suspended county sheriff.
As the second day of the trial wraps up, all eyes await the unfolding of the next stages in the case. Will the suspended Marlboro County Sheriff be vindicated or found guilty as charged? Only time will tell.
