Audio tape reveals abuse during Campbell Co. officers' interrogation

Audio tape reveals abuse during Campbell Co. officers' interrogation

July 7, 2005

JACKSBORO (WATE) -- Friday will be the one year anniversary of when five Campbell County deputies beat and tortured Lester Siler, a convicted drug dealer.

The lawmen were serving an arrest warrant on Lester Eugene Siler in July 2004. Siler ran when officers arrived but was caught.

According to court documents, Siler was beaten, pushed into an overflowing toilet, hooked to a battery charger and hit with a gun to coerce him into signing a consent form to search his home.

McClellan fired the deputies after hearing the recording.

Former deputies William Carroll, Samuel Franklin, David Webber, Shayne Green and Joshua Monday later pleaded guilty for using excessive force. They will be sentenced next week.

Siler filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal District Court at Knoxville against the five former officers. Sheriff Ron McClellan and Chief Deputy Charles Scott are also named in the suit, which claims they instigated the incident.

A 40-minute audio tape was released Thursday of a recording that captured the violence of that incident. Siler's wife secretly made the recording before she was ordered to leave their home by deputies.

Repeatedly, officers are heard asking Siler to sign a consent-to-search form so they can search his house for drugs.

Edited portions of the transcript detail constant badgering, crude language and indicate Siler was in pain during the interrogation.

Officer Webber: You hear what I told you? I told you not to be talking. Didn't I tell you not to talk? That's just the (bleep) beginning. This (bleep - bleep) right here, he loves seeing blood.

Siler: (moans)

Officer Webber: He loves it. He loves seeing blood. You're talking too much. You're talking too much. He (bleep) loves seeing blood. He'll beat your (bleep) and lick it off you.

Officer Webber: I don't want your help. I don't want your help. I want you to sign that form because you're the one we want. We got you. If you don't sign it, you probably won't walk out of here. We'll have to call a (bleep) ambulance to haul your (bleep) out of here. Is there any part of that you don't understand?

Officer Carroll: Sign the (bleep) paper and we'll leave you alone.

Siler: (moaning)

Officer Webber: Why don't you want to sign the form, Eugene? You got a bunch of dope here, buddy? Huh?

Officer: You won't sign it.

Siler: (mumbles) Ahhhh!

Officer: You won't sign it? You won't sign it? Yes or no? Do you want to sign it?

Siler: Don't!

Officer: Yes or no?

Siler's attorney says his client was hit several times on his face and body during the incident.

The tape was released as the deputies head to court for their sentencing hearings next week.

As for the civil suit filed in Siler's name, it's against the deputies, Campbell County itself, and Sheriff Ron McClellan for more than $19 million.