After videos show deputy's classroom confrontation, Justice Department is asked to investigate
Updated: The sheriff of Richland County, South Carolina, has requested an FBI and U.S. Justice Department investigation after one of his deputies was captured on videos flipping an African-American student over backward in her chair and dragging her across the floor.
The deputy, Ben Fields, was one of two deputies assigned to Spring Valley High School in Columbia, report the New York Times, the State, WLTX19 and WISTV. He was first placed on administrative duty during the investigation, but on Wednesday, it was announced that he had been fired, according to the New York Times.
The videos were taken by other students in the room. Sheriff Leon Lott says the deputy was responding to a disruptive student who refused to leave the classroom.
“Deputy Fields did not follow proper training, did not follow proper procedure, when he threw the student across the room,” Sheriff Lott said in a Wednesday press conference announcing Fields’ firing.
The girl and a male student were charged with disturbing the peace.
Fields’ lawyer, Scott Hayes, said in a statement that they believe Fields’ actions “were carried out professionally and that he was performing his job duties within the legal threshold,” CNN reports.
Fields has been previously named in two federal lawsuits, according to the Times and CNN. One suit was filed in November 2013 by a student who claims he was wrongly expelled. According to the Times, the student alleged Fields “unfairly and recklessly targets African-American students with allegations of gang membership and criminal gang activity.”
A second suit filed in 2007 claimed Fields became angry after a motorist addressed the officer as “dude.” The suit claimed Fields slammed the man to the ground, kicked him and drenched him with pepper spray. Jurors ruled for the officer and other defendants in 2010.
Updated on Oct. 28 to report that Fields has been fired. Updated on Oct. 29 to include statement from Fields’ lawyer.
