Cosby
06-08-2005, 12:45 PM
Big surprise... That trooper needs to be kicked in the face instead of beating the crap out of 16 year olds.
Bond set for trooper charged with brutality
A local highway patrolman accused of beating a handcuffed suspect on a Spartanburg County roadway appeared in court for the first time Friday morning.
Lance Cpl. David Chapman repeatedly kicked 16-year-old Phong Van Nguyen in the head on Feb. 24, though Nguyen already was lying on the ground, about to be handcuffed by two other officers, according to Curtis Pauling of the state Attorney General's Office.
When Nguyen was handcuffed and raised to his feet by the other officers, Chapman began punching him in the face, Pauling said in court.
Chapman has been charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and misconduct in office. Both carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Nguyen had led officers on a 10-minute car chase after he refused to stop for a patrolman who had tried to pull him over for having a loud muffler.
By the time Chapman arrived, however, Pauling stated that the chase was over and Nguyen was subdued.
A spokesman for the Highway Patrol has said that a SLED investigation of the incident started after the video from Chapman's patrol car was examined in a routine review.
Chapman has been suspended from the Highway Patrol.
He recently was cleared in an October 2004 incident, when he fired six or seven shots into a car that failed to stop for police.
The Attorney General's Office elected not to prosecute that case, determining that Chapman's actions were justified.
Chapman appeared in court wearing a camel sports coat and remained silent during his appearance, letting his attorney, John O'Leary of Columbia, speak for him.
O'Leary did not challenge the prosecution's version of the facts Friday. He said only that he agreed that Chapman was not the first officer to arrive on the scene with Nguyen.
He argued that Chapman was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. Pauling did not make a recommendation for bond.
Chapman was released later Friday on a $10,000 appearance bond set by Judge Derham Cole. Chapman is also required to have no contact with the victim and his family.
Alexander Morrison can be reached at 562-7215 or alex.morrison@shj.com.
Bond set for trooper charged with brutality
A local highway patrolman accused of beating a handcuffed suspect on a Spartanburg County roadway appeared in court for the first time Friday morning.
Lance Cpl. David Chapman repeatedly kicked 16-year-old Phong Van Nguyen in the head on Feb. 24, though Nguyen already was lying on the ground, about to be handcuffed by two other officers, according to Curtis Pauling of the state Attorney General's Office.
When Nguyen was handcuffed and raised to his feet by the other officers, Chapman began punching him in the face, Pauling said in court.
Chapman has been charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and misconduct in office. Both carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Nguyen had led officers on a 10-minute car chase after he refused to stop for a patrolman who had tried to pull him over for having a loud muffler.
By the time Chapman arrived, however, Pauling stated that the chase was over and Nguyen was subdued.
A spokesman for the Highway Patrol has said that a SLED investigation of the incident started after the video from Chapman's patrol car was examined in a routine review.
Chapman has been suspended from the Highway Patrol.
He recently was cleared in an October 2004 incident, when he fired six or seven shots into a car that failed to stop for police.
The Attorney General's Office elected not to prosecute that case, determining that Chapman's actions were justified.
Chapman appeared in court wearing a camel sports coat and remained silent during his appearance, letting his attorney, John O'Leary of Columbia, speak for him.
O'Leary did not challenge the prosecution's version of the facts Friday. He said only that he agreed that Chapman was not the first officer to arrive on the scene with Nguyen.
He argued that Chapman was neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. Pauling did not make a recommendation for bond.
Chapman was released later Friday on a $10,000 appearance bond set by Judge Derham Cole. Chapman is also required to have no contact with the victim and his family.
Alexander Morrison can be reached at 562-7215 or alex.morrison@shj.com.