“I was frozen in shock at how he was man handling her”, one former student said on Twitter of an incident that occurred “a few years ago”.
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Tony Robinson Jr. told WLTX-TV that at administrator was called to the room about 10:30 a.m. Monday and pleaded with the girl to get out of her seat.
The officer, Ben Fields, has been banned from the Richland school district as they investigate the incident.
“Spearman said she will be talking to state groups and legislators Wednesday about other ways schools can improve discipline policies and correct other issues this video uncovered”.
“Just because she was wrong in what she was doing doesn’t make what he was doing completely right also”, the sheriff said.
“Regardless of the reason for the officer’s actions, such egregious use of force – against young people who are sitting in their classrooms – is outrageous”.
Fields is also now one of 10 defendants in another case scheduled for trial in 2016. He says Fields used excessive force, slamming Martin to the ground, kicking him, and spraying him with an entire can of mace.
“There’s a video … showed her striking and punching at the officer”, Richard County Sheriff Leon Lott told CNN. “I’m comfortable with saying race was indeed a factor”.
She was told that she was under arrest, but again refused to follow orders, Lott told the station. That case was dismissed in 2009. However, both the girl who was dragged on the floor and fellow student Niya Kenny, who reportedly stood up for her classmate, are facing the charge of “disturbing schools”.
“The police officer should be arrested, charged and sued”, said the Rev. Jesse Jackson in a tweet.
In 2005, a grand jury sided with Fields after a black couple brought up an excessive force and battery complaint against him, stemming from a noise complaint the officer received. He said he was disturbed by what he saw, and said he cut short his trip, and is returning to Columbia to get answers.
The incident happened at Spring Valley High School, and Richland County Sheriff’s officials say Sheriff Leon Lott is aware of the incident and found it disturbing.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Justice Department announced they will join the on-going investigations into the incident.
A founding member of the Richland Two Black Parents Association said parents were saddened, but not surprised.
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The actions by officer Ben Fields, who is white, at Spring Valley High School in Columbia on Monday drew swift condemnation after video recordings of the incident involving a black student were picked up by media outlets and posted on social media.
