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Sheriff Allegedly Dealt Drugs From Police SUV

By Boyce Watkins, PhD on May 4th 2010 5:31AM
Filed under: News, Politics

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Former Lee County, South Carolina, Sheriff E.J. Melvin was, according to the FBI, dealing drugs from a police SUV. Additionally, he would work with local drug dealers to inform them whenever authorities sent him a list of drug dealers in the area. The information would be sold to the dealers, and the sheriff would then have the dealers removed from the list.

That is part of the list of allegations against Melvin. The FBI claims that it taped Melvin stating that he would arrange to pull over a drug dealer on a routine traffic stop. Melvin then planned to take some of the cocaine in the dealer's possession for himself, while putting the rest in to evidence. Melvin was arrested this week.Melvin resigned from office on the day of his arrest, and the governor will appoint an interim sheriff. He and six others were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms of powder cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine. If convicted, Melvin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and may get up to a life sentence.

Melvin's family and friends maintain his innocence.

"I don't believe for one second that he did those things," Melvin's brother Edward said.

Melvin, known as "Big Dog," was allegedly recorded by the FBI on 17 different phone conversations. One witness said, in a sworn statement, that a local drug dealer told him that, "If it wasn't for E.J., I wouldn't be doing the things that I do."

If the allegations against Melvin are true, then we can only hope that he gets the maximum penalty allowed under the law. Police are given a special set of privileges and public trust that are unavailable to the rest of us, so they have an extraordinary obligation to use this authority with integrity. If Melvin is indeed guilty of these charges, then he has failed his fellow citizens in a terrible way.

The community in Lee County should be outraged as well. A law enforcement officer should not be allowed to terrorize the community, thus creating an environment of lawlessness where even those you call for help might actually be there to harm you. White, black or any other race, the actions of Melvin (assuming he is guilty) are an insult to good law enforcement officers everywhere.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the new book 'Black American Money.' To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.

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