Columbia officers suspended

COLUMBIA — The two Columbia police officers charged with using excessive force against South Carolina football player Kevin Young have been suspended without pay pending their trial, police chief Tandy Carter said during a Monday news conference.

David Beddingfield and Roger Gilland, indicted Friday by a grand jury, are due in a Richland County courtroom this morning for their first hearing.

They each face a count of misconduct stemming from their March 2 arrest of Young, a sophomore USC offensive lineman, in the Five Points bar and entertainment area of the state capital.

Young, 20, was charged with fighting and resisting arrest, but was released by the officers rather than taken into custody.

"We want them to know the department's behind them," Carter said of the accused officers. "We're going to work with them, and we haven't abandoned them. I think that's very important.

"Officers take a lot of risks. They make more decisions than most people in any given day. Many of those decisions are very tough decisions, and sometimes they have to pay as you can see in this case with the indictments."

Carter said he wants the public to understand that police officers are regulated by the same accountability that everyday citizens are.

"We're going to sit by and let nature take its course," Carter said. "We have a great court system."

Young was initially suspended from USC because of his arrest. But, after coach Steve Spurrier heard his story, he was reinstated to school and the team.

Soon after, SLED launched a spring- and summer-long investigation into the allegations of force against the 6-5, 311-pound Young.

Carter cautioned the perception that the suspension equals an admission of guilt. He said Monday's actions simply follow protocol.

"That is something we're mandated to do just because we're a law enforcement agency," Carter said. "That does not mean nor indicate that we perceive that they're guilty."

Carter said Gilland has been on the force for 25 months, Beddingfield for eight months.

When asked if he has or will feel pressure from those at USC, Carter, who came to Columbia in February, didn't back down.

"I'm new here," he said. "So not too many people are going to be able to pressure me about doing anything. I'm going to do exactly what I'm supposed to do being the police chief and my role as the police chief, not what somebody else wants me to do."

Spurrier invited Carter this summer to come meet his staff and speak with the Gamecocks.

Young has been out of practice since Thursday. Spurrier said Sunday that Young has been excused due to a family medical issue.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the new South Carolina blog at charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.