A former police officer has been found guilty of using excessive force on a handcuffed man in his custody, leaving the suspect with serious injuries.
In a shocking verdict, a federal jury in Columbia, South Carolina, convicted Oddie Tribble, 51, a former police officer with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, of using excessive force on Charles Shelley, 38, a handcuffed arrestee, on August 5, 2010. The brutal attack, which was captured by video cameras at the Kershaw County Detention Center, left Shelley with lacerations and a fractured leg.
Eyewitnesses to the beating, including law enforcement officers, testified that they were shocked to see the unjustified attack by Tribble. “The jury’s verdict demonstrates that no one is above the law, and that those who are sworn to protect our citizens will be held accountable when they violate the public trust and abuse the rights of individuals in their custody,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
This is the first time in over a decade that a law enforcement officer in the state of South Carolina has been convicted by a federal jury at trial of using excessive force.
Tribble faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2011. The case was investigated by the Columbia, S.C., Division of the FBI with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and was prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Christopher Lomax, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Drake, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara McGregor.
The conviction sends a strong message that police officers in South Carolina will be held accountable for their actions. “The jury’s verdict shows that South Carolina will not tolerate misconduct by our law enforcement officers,” said Nettles.
Related Federal Cases
- Oddie Tribble, Civil Rights Violation, South Carolina 2010 · South Carolina
- Eric Walters, Excessive Force, South Carolina 2013 · South Carolina
- Johnathan Clayton, Bank Robbery by Force, Violence, and Intimidation, South Carolina 2017 · North Carolina
- Jonathan Felkel, Racist Threat and Gunfire, South Carolina 2025 · South Carolina
- Jonathan Andrew Felkel, Shooting with Racial Bias, South Carolina 2019 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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