By Victiashea Matthews
November 1, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - There are two different perspectives in the case of Ben Fields: one applauding his heroic efforts or two, condemning his deeds of violence.
On Monday, October 26th, Fields, a South Carolina law enforcement officer, became a nationwide news headliner after a video showed him yanking a student from her desk, slamming her to the ground with her desk and throwing her several feet across the floor.
After seven years of being a school resource officer, Fields is now fired for using improper techniques of law enforcement on a student according to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.
His attorney Scott Hayes argues that his actions were lawful and necessary.
"We believe that Mr. Fields' actions were justified and lawful throughout the circumstances of which he was confronted during this incident," attorney Scott Hayes said.
One of the students recording the incident said she knew Ben Fields to have a horrible reputation and asked her classmates to also record because she predicted something might happen, CNN reports.
The history of past offenses by Fields include: a lawsuit on a case concerning a noise complaint and his excessive brute force against Carlos Edward Martin, and another case about a student getting expelled for gang activity, FIelds is being sued for lack of due process and negligence.
But Fields has also received accolades including the Culture of Excellence Award by an elementary school in the Richland County.
On Friday, about 100 students at the school staged a walkout in support of Fields, the New York Daily News reports. “"I think he did his job," student Ty' Juan Fulton told the Star-Telegram. "He's a person that's well known. He stops the trouble.”
The incident also raises questions about the role of school resource officers with law enforcement training, and whether less violent means could be used to intervene and defuse tense situations.
The U.S. Justice Department and the FBI are investigating the case. Huffington Post reports that county Sheriff’s Deputy Katelyn Jasak said that although resource officers are expected to serve as "law enforcement officers, law enforcement educators and law-related counselors,” she concluded, “They're there to serve as role models."
Comments
Poor parenting is what causes this
the girl is a criminal in the making
do a bit more digging ... the girl is a known trouble maker, was trying to crowdfund a car, and has not followed the lawful instructions of the school officials or the cop. she needs to be straightened out. also the walkout by students black and white supporting the cop shows the truth.
in loco parentis