After a deputy killed a man, should RCSD investigate one of its own? Here’s what SLED says

Two major South Carolina law enforcement agencies are in a public spat over who should investigate police shootings following last weekend’s death of Irvin Moorer-Charley.

A Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy fatally shot Moorer-Charley Saturday after deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call. The sheriff’s department has said Moorer-Charley charged at an officer with a wooden stake. Moorer-Charley is Black and the officer who shot him, Zachary Hentz, is white.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the shooting, which has been common while Sheriff Leon Lott has been at the helm. Lott says saying the sheriff’s office has the resources to investigate the shooting, and has more public review processes available to ensure transparency. For example, both the FBI and a citizens advisory council will have a chance to review the investigation, as will the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Lott said.

In a recent statement, Lott implied a SLED investigation of the shooting could lead to less public trust than an internal investigation.

“SLED is not engaged with local communities, does not practice community policing, does not develop community partnerships and does not have a citizen’s review process,” Lott said in a statement. “These factors may result in an increased risk for civil unrest following controversial case outcomes.”

SLED Chief Mark Keel said Lott’s statement about the state agency’s community outreach is “false and misleading,” and said SLED has a Community Relations Unit that interacts with the public, churches and civic organizations.

Kiel said SLED and other law enforcement agencies, including the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, South Carolina Police Chiefs Association, South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, and the South Carolina chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, believe shootings involving officers should be handled by independent agencies.

“SLED understands that officer involved shooting events have the potential to generate immense public, media, and prosecutorial scrutiny. In addition, these events can have profound social, civil, administrative, and criminal consequences. This is not about capability. It is about conducting independent investigations with the utmost integrity and impartiality,” Keel said in a statement.

Moorer-Charley’s family agreed, saying Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigating its own deputy “creates an inherent conflict of interest,” The State reported previously.

This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 1:03 PM.