Deputy Indicted in Morgan County
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Deputy Indicted in Morgan County
By Shane Gilreath
Recent events in Morgan County have resulted in the indictment of a Sheriff’s Deputy. According to statements made earlier this month by District Attorney Russell Johnson, Sheriff’s Deputy Charles Faircloth was forced to use lethal force when an assailant charged the officer, wielding a large rock. Johnson, who represents the 9th Judicial District, including Morgan County, said several deputies responded to the May 2nd incident at approximately 10:30am, which had been called in as a burglary at a home on Ray Cross Road in Harriman.
Upon the Deputies’ arrival on the scene, they encountered John A. Cox, 28, who was suspected of burglary. For reasons which remain under investigation by TBI, the situation escalated, resulting in Faircloth firing his weapon, hitting Cox, who later died at the hospital.
“The first deputy on scene was already on his way to the sheriff’s office in his sheriff’s department marked vehicle when the call was dispatched. He arrived at the scene and was confronted by the subject who was the reason for the 911 call,” Johnson said in a previous statement. “The adult male subject picked up a large rock and came after the deputy who shot multiple times.”
On May 19th, however, a Morgan County Grand Jury indicted Deputy Faircloth, charging him with one county of Criminally Negligent Homicide and one count of Official Misconduct. According to Tennessee Code Section 39-13-212, Criminally Negligent Homicide is a Class E Felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000 and is defined as one individual causing the death of another due to negligence. The charge is often considered one of the least serious of the homicide charges.
Following his indictment, Faircloth surrendered to authorities in Loudon County and was booked on a $5,000 bond.
