Pubdate: Sun, 07 Dec 2003 Source: Sun News (Myrtle Beach, SC) Copyright: 2003 Sun Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/987 Note: apparent 150 word limit on LTEs Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) 17 STUDENTS FILE SUIT IN POLICE RAID Defendants Include School District, City CHARLESTON - Seventeen Stratford High School students have filed a lawsuit against the city of Goose Creek and the Berkeley County School District, saying police and school officials terrorized them in a drug raid last month. The defendants named in the lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Charleston, include Stratford High School Principal George McCrackin; Berkeley County school Superintendent Chester Floyd; Goose Creek Police Chief Harvey Becker; and Goose Creek police Lt. Dave Aarons. The suit also names the city of Goose Creek, its Police Department and the Berkeley County School District as defendants. The lawsuit stems from a Nov. 5 raid in which police swept through Stratford High School looking for drugs, pointing guns at students and ordering them to the floor. Solicitor Ralph Hoisington asked state Attorney General Henry McMaster on Thursday to investigate whether any laws were broken in the raid. Hoisington also asked the State Law Enforcement Division to share its investigation with the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI to determine whether federal criminal violations occurred. McCrackin said Friday he had not received any information about the lawsuit. "Even if I had, I can't comment," he said. Floyd said he heard about the lawsuit Friday afternoon and described the matter as "very unfortunate." "We've had local, state, national and international news coverage on this," Floyd said. "It's a month old. I'm trying to get everything back to normal. I'm sorry it all happened. I'm sorry it's a lawsuit." Stratford officials have said they had reason to think drugs were being sold in the hallway before classes started, but no drugs were found in the raid. Some Stratford students were arrested on drug-related charges earlier this year. In the lawsuit, the students asked for an unspecified amount of money for damages and an injunction against another such raid. The suit also charges the students' constitutional rights had been violated and levels charges of assault, battery and false arrest. Also, students involved in the lawsuit provided details of what happened to them when police conducted the raid. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager