Justice Department: Former Charleston deputies won’t be prosecuted for Jamal Sutherland’s death

Two former Charleston sheriff’s deputies will not be charged for the death of Jamal Sutherland, says the Justice Department.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)— The Justice Department announced they will not pursue charges against two former Charleston sheriff’s deputies for the death of Jamal Sutherland. Sutherland died on Jan. 5, 2021 following an incident where deputies forcibly removed him from his cell at the Charleston County Detention Center.

The decision comes after federal prosecutors at the Justice Department reviewed physical evidence reports, law enforcement accounts, photographs and videos, among other evidence to determine whether the force used against Sutherland violated federal laws.

In a release, an official from the Department says, “After this review, prosecutors determined that insufficient evidence exists to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that deputies willfully violated the federal criminal civil rights statutes.”

They also reviewed the Charleston County Solicitor’s Office’s public medical analyses report on Sutherland’s death, which included the reasons why criminal charges were not pursued by the state.

Justice Department officials communicated their decision to representatives of the Sutherland family.