One Year Later and Nothing Done in Police Killing of Bernard Bailey: Eutawville Police Chief Sued in Shooting of Unarmed Black Man

From [HERE] and [HERE] Nearly a year and a half after a Eutawville man died in what’s been called an officer-involved shooting, the man’s family, concerned clergy and others are demanding answers in the case.

Both the State Law Enforcement Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have probed the shooting of 54-year-old Bernard Bailey. The case has since been turned over to the U.S. Department of Justice for what has been called the “lengthy process” of review.

 A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed for the shooting death that involved Eutawville's former police chief. Bernard Bailey's widow filed the suit for the death that took place back on May 2 of 2011.

Investigators have said Combs shot Bailey, but have not released any details about what may have led up to the shooting. Combs was put on administrative leave and a new chief was appointed to the department in November. The lawsuit filed is against former Eutawville Police Chief Richard Combs, the police department and the town.

Residents said that Bailey came to the town hall to pay a water bill and to inquire about a traffic ticket that his daughter had gotten. They say after that, the deadly shots rang out.

An eyewitness claims to have seen the reverse lights on Bailey’s Chevrolet truck come on. The witnesses said when the officer reached the truck, a struggle ensued at the driver’s side door. Apparently, Bailey got out of the car and a confrontation ensued. All indications are that Bailey was unarmed.  

“For you to walk out of your place and follow a man and shot him in the back three times like a dog, like he don’t belong to nobody, and then you outside drinking coffee like you didn’t do anything wrong? Something is wrong with you,” Hamilton said. [MORE] 

The Law Firm of Carl B. Grant, which is handling the suit, issued a statement saying, "It is time that this case is brought to court so that the thirst for the truth can be quenched, and the hunger for justice can be satisfied."

The U.S. Justice Department took over the investigation, but few details have been released about what may have happened. The Orangeburg County Coroner said Bailey was shot three times: once in the shoulder and twice in the chest.  

Bailey’s family continues to wait for answers.

Joann Lawton, one of his siblings, said, “We really didn’t know where to turn to. We just trust in the Lord for prayer and being strong.

“But we do want answers.”

“His children need answers. His wife needs closure. All of us need closure, and we were sort of just taking it in because our mother is 91 years old. When this happened, she was 89. ... Bernard was her baby,” Lawton said.

“So it’s been a hard battle, but we’re still fighting.”

Bailey’s family had not spoken out publicly about his death until a community meeting Thursday night at the Vance Senior Center attended by state Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman.

Lawton said at the meeting that on the morning of May 2, 2011, her 54-year-old brother went to Eutawville Town Hall on Porcher Avenue. Bailey had gone to address a traffic ticket issued to his daughter by then-Eutawville Police Chief Richard “Rick” Combs. A confrontation reportedly followed.

Orangeburg County Coroner Samuetta Marshall reported that Bailey died of multiple gunshot wounds, including two shots to his chest and one to his shoulder.

Following the fatal shooting, Combs was placed on paid administrative leave at an annual salary of $32,000. Town officials later reported they had “ended” their relationship with Combs.

Combs has not been charged in Bailey’s death.

During Thursday’s meeting, the Rev. Gralin Nix-Hampton said Bailey’s family and the community have “been in a holding pattern since May 2, 2011. We want to come out of that holding pattern.” Nix-Hampton is president of the Holly Hill Ministerial Alliance and pastor of Briner Christian Church.

“Doing nothing is not an option,” Sen. Matthews said. “I think this community has grievously been taken advantage of.”

The Very Rev. Tom Hendrickson, rector of the Historic Church of the Epiphany in Eutawville, asked, “How come everybody’s quiet? Don’t we have statewide organizations investigating this? What have they been doing for the last 16 months? ... I’d like to see if there was a report. What’s the report?”

Hendrickson suggested holding a prayer vigil at churches throughout Eutawville, and he said he would support a public march.

“Let’s have a prayer vigil and let’s have a march on the Orangeburg County seat,” he said.

The Rev. Byron Wilson, pastor of Springhill Missionary Baptist Church, agreed, saying, “People need to know what’s going on.”

Wilson said, “I think that out of this something good can come, but we have to not only just talk about it, we have to stay with it.”

“How committed are you going to be?” he asked the group. “This is not for us, this is for this family.”

Horace James, president of the Concerned Citizens of District 66, said whatever action is taken, it will be “professional and organized.”

“It’s time for some action,” Holly Hill Town Councilman the Rev. H. Louis Damon said, urging leaders to move “as expeditiously as possible.”