A trooper in South Carolina is accused of intentionally hitting a suspect and then bragging out it on a police recording. Lance Cpl. Steven Garren is heard on a tape boasting about how he bagged the suspect, Marvin Grant, who is shown on a dash cam recording bouncing off the hood of his cruiser.
The incident occurred on June 24, 2007 and appears to show Garren steering for the man. The recording contains the following exchange:
Garren: “Hey, I nailed the —- out of him. I nailed the —- out of him when he hit that —- field. He went flying up in the air.”
Deputy: “You hit him?”
Garren: “Yeah, I hit him. I was trying to hit him.”
Grant Explains Why He Ran
Grant admitted that he has several convictions, including driving under suspension, possession of contraband and failure to stop for blue lights.
He testified that he kept driving and running away to avoid another possible charge.
He said, “Just instinct — I thought I could get away.”
Garren could get 10 years if convicted. Civil liability, if sought, would be interesting. There is no question that this would constitute battery, if proven. However, the injury is in question and Grant’s poor character could taint both the criminal and civil case. Grant had been drinking that night and previously speeding. He lied to the FBI was first interviewed to hide that fact that he was on his way to a woman’s house in an affair that he was having. Garren’s attorney attacked his claims of an injury because on the fact, as defense attorney John O’Leary put it, Grant “had sex all night long” before he decided to turn himself in the next day.
However, the South Carolina Highway Patrol has been repeatedly accused recently of racial epithets and ramming suspects with their cruisers.
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It is clowns like this that give policing a bad name. The state of South Carolina needs to do a better job of screening applicants and in promoting employees.
Or, perhaps Trooper Garren was afraid of losing a foot chase? Correct me if I’m wrong here, but isn’t that what bullets are for in South Carolina?
When will we finally standardize training on the application of police cruisers as legitimate compliance tools to stop and disable ambulatory suspects?
Like a K-9 unit, discretional use of a police vehicle’s mass is really just a logical extension of an officer’s ability to protect the public by rapidly disabling suspects. Think of the advances to officer safety, and think of the savings to the taxpayer from reduced disability claims by public servants like Trooper Garren. Any conviction in this case sends the message that officers should not seek the most basic physical protections from the criminal element. That, my friends, opens to the door to anarchy.
That is one stupid ex-police officer. I think maybe he is related to Sarah Palin.
I just love defendants who make the punitive damages case for me. Viva el Stupid!