Campbell County, Tennessee:

Waging war against the illegal drug trade is no mere cliché in Campbell County. It is a mission trumpeted from the office of this county’s top lawman — Sheriff Ron McClellan — and carried out by his troops on an almost daily basis.

Hardly a week goes by without a press release from McClellan’s office detailing the latest raid, the fruits of the newest undercover operation or the next roundup of drug purveyors. Since taking office, McClellan has invested both money and manpower in the fight.

[...]

They arrived in unmarked vehicles, dressed in plainclothes. But they were cloaked with the authority to serve Siler with a warrant for his arrest. Siler, the document alleged, had been breaking the rules set for him a year ago by a Campbell County judge.

[...]

With lawmen at her door, Jenny Siler turns on a tape recorder in her kitchen and sighs as she heads to the door to greet them. The recorder would continue to roll long after the lawmen send away Jenny Siler, 27, and her 8-year-old, leaving them alone with Eugene Siler.

It would produce a recording that spanned 40 to 45 minutes of what authorities contend was a two-hour ordeal.

The FBI transcript of the recording indicates that it not only captured what the officers said but what they did. It is replete with references to sounds of Siler being slapped and struck. It details Siler’s moans, his pleas, his piercing screams.

The lawmen indicate in the transcript that Siler had fled out the door when they arrived. They’ve caught him and handcuffed him. He is brought into the house and placed in a chair, his hands cuffed behind his back.

He is already moaning.

[...]

It’s not clear if these former lawmen were on official business. Webber claims in the transcript that no one else in authority knew they were there. It’s also not clear if their goal was a drug arrest or a shakedown of a drug dealer.

What is clear from the transcript is that these lawmen would stop at nothing to achieve it.

“We’ll have to call a (expletive) ambulance to haul your ass out of here,” Webber taunts in the transcript.

It is also apparent from the transcript that the former deputies were confident they could carry out a violent attack on Siler with no fear of reprisals. After all, it would be his word against theirs. They were Campbell County’s finest. Siler was a drug dealer.

[...]

Webber is heard first, telling Siler his “dope dealing’s over.” Franklin chimes in, telling Siler the lawmen are shutting down his drug business. Monday speaks next.

“It’s (expletive) over, son,” Monday says.

The beating begins then.

There is no way to tell from the transcript how long the first assault lasts. At some point, Franklin instructs Carroll to hold off.

“Wait a minute, Will, before you start,” Franklin says.

“10-4,” Carroll responds.

Franklin then speaks to Siler, saying, “I tell you what we’re gonna do. Let me tell you what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna put them handcuffs in front of ya. Cut you a little slack. But if don’t start operating (sic), we’re gonna put the (expletive) behind your back, and I’m gonna take this slapjack, and I’m gonna start working that head over, you understand?”

The lawmen demand information from Siler, why he hasn’t been in touch with them, who supplies him drugs and where he has stashed his cash. Webber reminds Siler that he is alone and outnumbered.

“There’s nobody knows we’re (expletive) here,” Webber says. “We’re doing this on our own.”

The transcript indicates that Webber produces a form that, once signed, will state that Siler gave his consent for the officers to search his home. Siler apparently refuses to sign it. The beating resumes.

Moaning, Siler apparently tries to say something to the lawmen, but Webber is not in the mood for conversation.

“You’re not (expletive) listening,” Webber says. “You hear what I told you? I told you not to be talking. ? This (expletive) right here, he loves seeing blood. He loves it. He loves seeing blood. You’re talking too much. ? He loves (expletive) seeing blood. He’ll beat your ass and lick it off of you.”

[...]

Slaps and blows are again documented on the transcript, with Monday continuing to order Siler to sign.

By now, Siler is crying.

Threats come next. The lawmen tell Siler they will jail his wife and have his children taken away from him. The transcript details more beating sounds, more moaning from Siler, who repeatedly asks to talk to Webber.

“You ain’t talking to nobody,” Green responds. “You’re gonna sign this (expletive) paper.”

Siler screams. More blows are heard. The lawmen continue to order Siler to sign. He responds with moans and more screams. But there would be no reprieve.

“Eugene, it’s just beginning, buddy,” Webber says.

Siler is going to die, the officers tell him.

[...]

Siler is next threatened with electrocution. Webber tells him that they could take a battery charger, hook some wires to it and attach it to Siler’s testicles. The federal informations allege that the lawmen later rigged up such a device and used clamps to attach it to Siler’s body.

Monday is accused in the informations with pointing a gun at Siler, threatening to shoot him.

The transcript backs up the allegation.

“Shoot his (expletive) ass,” Green says.

Amid the threats, Siler is again beaten, but he still refuses to sign. Siler pleads with the officers as Franklin threatens to burn him with a lighter after giving him a cigarette.

[...]

At some point, one of the officers shows Siler a pellet gun apparently found in the house. Siler tells the officers it belongs to his son. Monday sees the find as another way to convince Siler his life is hanging in the balance.

“Eugene, you’re gonna sign this right here or I’m gonna (expletive) put a bullet in your damn head, and we’re gonna (expletive) plant this BB gun,” Monday says.

Webber later adds, “Hey, Eugene, what loss do you think it’s gonna be to us if you die, buddy? It’s going to be no loss to us.”

[...]

he FBI transcript details an unrelenting assault that authorities contend did not end when the tape recorder suddenly stopped. The informations allege the attack on Siler included having his head forced underwater in both a fish tank and a toilet.

By day’s end, Siler would wind up not in a hospital but a Campbell County jail cell, charged with running from the officers and tossing drugs to avoid an arrest. His wife, too, would be charged.

Siler has a criminal history, all of it nonviolent and drug-related. He’s also illiterate. He asked the officers several times to read to him what they were asking to sign. They refused.

Makes the Caballes decision all the more troubling. The last thing cops like these need is another arrow in the quiver.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 7th, 2005 at 10:47 am by Radley Balko and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.