Two Former S.C. Police Officers Charged with Using Unreasonable Force

The Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury in Florence, S.C., returned a two-count indictment today charging Eric Walters and Franklin Brown, both former police officers with the City of Marion Police Department, with using unreasonable force against a female citizen.    

Walters and Brown have each been charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically alleging that, while acting as police officers, each defendant used unreasonable force on the victim, resulting in bodily injury.  The indictment alleges that on April 2, 2013, Walters and Brown each used their respective tasers multiple times on the victim.    

If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.  

This case is being investigated by the Myrtle Beach, S.C., Division of the FBI.  It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Nicholas Murphy and Henry Leventis for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potterfield for the District of South Carolina.