MARLBORO COUNTY, S.C. — A Marlboro County grand jury has returned indictments against Marlboro County Sheriff Charles Lemon and former sheriff's deputy David Andrew Cook for a May 2020 incident that occurred at the Marlboro County Detention Center involving an inmate.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced both men have been charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and misconduct in office (common law).
Allegedly, on or about May 3, 2020, Sheriff Lemon ordered Deputy Cook to deploy his taser on Jarrel Lee Johnson, a detainee at the Marlboro County Detention Center. Cook then "unlawfully continued to activate the taser at least two times after the initial taser deployment to subdue the suspect while inside the jail," into Johnson's chest and leg.
The indictments allege that the assault was likely to produce great bodily injury or death.
Cook is no longer serving in law enforcement and Lemon has been suspended from office by Governor Henry McMaster.
The charge of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature is a felony with a penalty of up to 20 years; common law misconduct in office is a misdemeanor offense with a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
McMaster has appointed former Bennetsville Chief of Police Larry McNeil, 68, to serve as interim sheriff in Marlboro County until the matter with Lemon is determined or until a new sheriff is elected in the next general election.
