Pubdate: Tue, 24 May 2005
Source: Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN)
Copyright: 2005 The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Contact:  http://www.knoxnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/226
Author: Jamie Satterfield

5th LAWMAN INVOLVED IN BEATINGS SENT TO JAIL

Campbell Deputy Behind Bars Pending Sentencing

The last of a group of Campbell County lawmen who beat and tortured a
handcuffed man is behind bars.

U.S. District Court Judge Tom Varlan on Monday ordered William
Carroll, a reserve deputy with the Campbell County Sheriff's Office,
jailed pending a sentencing hearing.

=09 Carroll pleaded guilty at a hearing Monday to conspiring with four
other Campbell County deputies to violate the civil rights of Lester
Eugene Siler, a convicted drug dealer, in an encounter at Siler's
White Oak community home last July.

Carroll's partners in crime - narcotics chief David Webber, veteran
Detective Samuel Franklin, rookie Deputy Joshua Monday and part-time
process server Shayne Green - pleaded guilty earlier this year. All
were ordered jailed pending sentencing.

Carroll had been set to plead guilty alongside his co-defendants, but
his plea to an information prepared by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles
Atchley wound up delayed for several months.

It's not clear why. Neither Atchley nor Carroll's attorney, Federal
Defender Beth Ford, has explained the delay, nor was any reason given
at Monday's hearing.

As a result of the delay in getting Carroll before a judge, sentencing
hearings for his co-defendants, originally set for this month, have
been delayed until late June.

The five lawmen have admitted violating Siler's civil rights through
force and intimidation. According to court records and an FBI
transcript of a secret recording of the incident made by Siler's wife,
the deputies handcuffed Siler and engaged in a two-hour attack on him.

Siler was repeatedly beaten and threatened with death. His head was
held underwater in a fish tank and a toilet. He was struck with a
slapjack and a baseball bat. The deputies threatened to electrocute
him and shoot him.

The reason for the attack remains murky. The FBI transcript shows the
deputies were trying to force Siler to sign a form giving permission
to search his trailer. But the transcript suggests a more sinister
motive, with comments from Webber, deemed by authorities as the
ringleader in the attack, that he planned to take any cash or drugs
found in the home.

Siler appeared at Monday's hearing with his attorney, Kristie
Anderson. She has said she plans to file a lawsuit in connection with
the attack. 
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