CAMDEN, S.C. — The trial of former Kershaw County Deputy Jonathan Goldsmith, accused of assaulting a suspect during a 2020 arrest continued on Wednesday. Goldsmith took the stand in his defense after the prosecution rested its case earlier in the day.
The jury also heard testimony from Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan, Goldsmith’s former boss, who spoke about the responsibilities of law enforcement officers.
Goldsmith is accused of knocking suspect Tony Sims unconscious and tasing him, actions caught on body camera footage.
Sheriff Boan, who hired Goldsmith shortly after becoming sheriff, said that while officers are tasked with taking away a person’s freedom, they must not strip them of their dignity.
During cross-examination, the defense argued that Goldsmith’s use of force was justified due to potential threats, including a holster for a gun allegedly spotted in Sims’ car. The prosecution, however, maintained that Goldsmith’s actions were excessive and out of line with department policy.
Prosecutors questioned Boan on whether the use of force employed by Goldsmith—particularly knocking Sims unconscious—was appropriate in the situation. Boan said that an officer's priority in such cases should be to ensure the suspect’s well-being.
"Being unconscious is a serious matter. That’s not everyday police work, I can think of, it doesn't happen very often," Boan said on the stand. "Can it happen? Yes, but that's a dire situation. Outside of there being an active threat going on around him, that's your priority to make sure he's okay,"
The defense countered, asking if the presence of potential threats justified the level of force used by Goldsmith. They said Goldsmith was acting out of concern for his safety and others, given the possibility of another individual approaching the scene.
In his testimony, Goldsmith walked the jury through the body camera footage, explaining that Sims resisted arrest and that he struggled to get him under control. The defense portrayed Goldsmith’s actions as a necessary response to a non-compliant suspect.
During cross-examination, the prosecution questioned discrepancies between Goldsmith’s initial police report and his current testimony, pointing out inconsistencies in his account of how many times he struck Sims. The prosecution replayed the body camera footage, counting the number of strikes heard and seen in the video, which appeared to conflict with Goldsmith’s written report.
The prosecution also focused on audio captured during the arrest, asking Goldsmith why the sound became muffled during certain moments. Goldsmith explained that he was lying on top of Sims to restrain him, which affected the audio quality.
At one point during the cross-examination, when asked why certain details were missing from his report, Goldsmith took 27 seconds to respond, eventually admitting, "I do not see it, sir."
Closing arguments will take place on Friday.