“As I said a million times before, we don't hate law enforcement,” Brewer said. The RJN runs a 24/7 hotline to report incidents involving gun violence, inmate issues or apparent law enforcement misconduct. Johnson said the organization will be the “check and balance” for county law enforcement going forward. “We want to sit down and talk and see if we can straighten this out." ![]() “He needs to give us a call so we can actually sit down and talk. 12, 2022.Įlder James Johnson, founder and CEO of RJN, also asked Sheriff Chuck Wright for a sit-down conversation to address concerns of about county law enforcement. The family came back to the center looking for answers on Oct. Lane was incarcerated at the Spartanburg County Detention Center where he was later pronounced dead after being incarcerated for 5 hours. Lane, 29, came back to the Spartanburg County Detention Center looking for answers around the events of the death of Lavell Lane at the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Information provided by the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office accounted for five additional deaths in 2022 at the facility and two thus far in 2023.īoth families have previously appeared before the media outside the SCDF, along with representatives from RJN. According to the report, SCDF had 18 deaths over the 7-year time frame, more than any other county jail. The demands come only weeks after a report from a University of South Carolina School of Law professor that detailed in-custody deaths across the state from 2015-2021. The letter called for a Department of Justice investigation into the Sheriff’s Office and Detention Facility to determine if there is a pattern of unconstitutional policing and detention conditions.Ĭopies of the letter were addressed and sent by mail to SLED Chief Mark Keel, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and the DOJ. Candace Brewer, President of the Racial Justice Network, a national civil rights organization based out of South Carolina that advocates for prison reform, human rights issues and closing racial disparities, read a letter of demands outside of the detention facility. Lane’s case has been active for roughly 6 months.ĭr. 2023 after officers came to his residence to serve a warrant.īoth deaths are still under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, according to SLED spokesperson, Renée Wunderlich. Holcomb was fatally shot by Spartanburg County Sheriff’s deputies in early Feb. ![]() 2022 after being arrested and booked for walking in the middle of Chesnee Highway. The families of Lavell Lane and Darius Holcomb and community activists repeated their requests for transparency surrounding the deaths and called for deeper investigation into conditions at the detention center. Behind them stands the family of Darius Holcomb, who was killed in an officer-involved shooting with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office on February 2, 2023.įamilies of two men who died after incidents involving Spartanburg County law enforcement gathered outside the Spartanburg County Detention Facility on Wednesday with renewed demands for accountability. ![]() Candace Brewer (L) and CEO Elder James Johnson (R) of the Racial Justice Network, a South Carolina civil rights group, speak at a press conference outside the Spartanburg County Detention Facility on March 15, 2023.
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