S.C. cop charged after video shows him stomping on unarmed black man’s head
A South Carolina cop stomped on an unarmed black man’s head just seconds after ordering him to the ground, bodycam video released by the man’s lawyers shows.
Orangeburg Public Safety Officer David Lance Dukes, 38, was fired and charged with felony first-degree assault and battery over the July 26 incident involving Clarence Gailyard.
Dukes can be seen approaching the 58-year-old black man with his gun drawn and ordering him to the ground, in the footage released by Gailyard’s attorneys on Wednesday.
Dukes and another officer were responding to a 911 call after someone reported that Gailyard was armed with a gun.
The black man’s attorney says Gailyard was only holding a stick wrapped in black tape, which he carries with him when he’s out walking in case a dog tries to attack.
Gailyard also often walks with a cane because of pins and rods in his leg after being struck by a vehicle, his attorney said.
The bodycam video shows Dukes stomping on Gailyard’s head and neck when the man couldn’t immediately lie flat on his stomach.
Dukes was fired two days after the incident and charged several days after that.
At a press conference announcing his firing last week, Orangeburg City Administrator Sidney Evering II said: “We value the trust the community has placed in us as leaders and as law enforcement officers. We cannot tolerate anything that will diminish that trust.”
Gailyard said he was grateful for the bodycam video, suffered a cut to his forehead during the ordeal.
“Every time I look in the mirror, I see the scar on my forehead, and it’s not okay. The only thing I want the community to do is change,” Gailyard told reporters at a press conference alongside his lawyer.
He also said he was thankful to the other officer, Aqkwele Polidore. because she backed up his version of events.
“She didn’t lie. She told the truth. She’s a good officer. All officers are not bad — some are good,” Gailyard said.
With Post Wires.
