The rancor about police conduct and race relations is still simmering and we have another trouble spot brewing-A South Carolina jury heard arguments on Wednesday in the murder trial of a former police chief who is accused of killing an unarmed man in 2011.
The police chief in Eutawville at the time of the episode, Mr. Richard J. Combs, was indicted for murder charge in early December. This was shortly before he was to stand trial for misconduct pertaining with the death of Bernard Bailey. Mr. Bailey had an outstanding warrant against himself and Mr. Combs tried to arrest him. Mr. Combs attempt to arrest turned into a fight at Mr. Bailey’s Truck and Combs lawyer argued that his client only tried to protect himself.
However the prosecutor David M. Pascoe Jr., contended that there was a simmering feud between Mr. Bailey and Mr. Combs about a traffic citation Mr. Bailey’s daughter received in March 2011.
Mr. Bailey, Mr. Pascoe said as he gestured toward Mr. Combs, was “murdered over a broken taillight, killed because of that man’s poor judgment.”
He further berated the shooting as “an absolutely senseless act of violence” connected to “a trumped-up warrant.”