SC couple sues police, alleging they were terrorized by AR-15-toting officer without warrant

An Orangeburg County couple has sued the towns of Holly Hill and Santee, claiming their officers illegally detained them without warrants and outside their jurisdiction.

The incident happened at 2:30 a.m. in August, 2020 when three officers, two from Holly Hill, one from Santee, woke Shane Glover and Codie Fuller, handcuffed them and took them outside in their underwear.

Holly Hill officer Jermaine Smith was holding an AR-15 during the 20-minute encounter, which was captured on body-worn cameras and displayed at a news conference held by their lawyer Justin Bamberg Tuesday.

Bamberg, who represents Bamberg, Barnwell and Colleton counties in the state legislature, said his clients’ civil rights were violated.

He said the officers wore uniforms, drove their police-issued cruisers and had police department owned weapons, yet obtained no warrants.

“This is a ridiculous situation,” he said, adding later “extremely frustrating.”

He called the encounter “illegal kidnapping” and said it stemmed from an earlier incident in which Smith asked Fuller why she was dating Glover. The couple has a young child, who was in the house when police arrived.

Sometime later, Glover had tried to ask Smith about what was said to his girlfriend, but the officer sped off.

It was early the next morning when officers arrived.

The video from the scene showed Glover asked Smith what he wanted to know and Smith responded, “I would like to know if you have any puppies.”

“Puppies,” Bamberg said. “Their lives were put in danger over puppies.”

Fuller was placed in the back of a patrol car. Emergency lights from the cruisers lit up the night. Glover and Fuller were living in the camper on property belonging to a relative, Bamberg said.

He said the couple was terrorized by “people wearing a police costume.”

Later that morning, Glover reported the incident to the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office reported the incident to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Aug. 4, 2020, Renée Wunderlich, SLED spokesperson, said.

“The case is open and active; thus, no further details are available at this time,” she said.

The mayors of Holly Hill and Santee did not respond to a request for comment nor did the sheriff of Colleton County, where Smith went after he left Holly Hill.

In March, Smith was named employee of the quarter for his job performance, according to Walterboro Live.