‘Officer Slam’ Won’t Face Charges in Brutal Classroom Assault of Young Black Girl
Ben Fields Told Investigators Student Punched Him, Fell Backward Due to ‘Momentum’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN966KxyoIU
Ben Fields, the white former school resource officer who brutally assaulted a teenage black girl in a South Carolina classroom last October, won’t face criminal charges.Â
In video of the incident that went viral (above), Fields can be seen ripping the student out of her desk and throwing her across the floor after she refused a teacher’s request to leave for using her cellphone.Â
The student suffered a fractured wrist and bruises, and Fields was later terminated. However, following an 11-month investigation, prosecutors determined the officer’s actions didn’t rise to the level of a crime, BuzzFeed News reports.Â
Fields, whom students nicknamed “Officer Slam” due to his reputation for violence, had previously faced two lawsuits for targeting African-Americans.
In a written statement, Fields told investigators the the student punched him in the face and fell backward “because of the momentum that the student’s movements had created,” BuzzFeed reports. Fields claimed he was trying to pull her out of the chair, but her foot was caught.
“As I continued to use the muscling technique the students leg broke free from the lock the student had on the desk and the student slid across the floor,†Fields wrote.
The student was also detained on suspicion of disturbing schools, a misdemeanor, but prosecutors concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to charge her.Â
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.