Outrage as cop who was accused of torturing K-9 dog lands new job as a sheriff's deputy
Deputy James Hampton quit the Salisbury Police Department in 2021 after viral footage appeared to show him dangling a police dog named Zuul by its leash, slamming it against a patrol car and hitting it.
The incident, which was filmed during a training session, sparked nationwide outrage at the time.
More than 93,000 people signed the petition demanding his termination.
WCNC revealed that Hampton was quietly sworn in last month as a deputy for the Union County Sheriff's Office.
The move has angered activists, the public and local residents.
'There is no scenario where hitting, slamming and choking a dog is called for,' Rachel Bellis of PETA told the outlet. 'You can see the other officers scrambling to turn off their cameras. I'm sure they must've known that this was not the correct behavior to have with that dog.'
Union County resident Angel Thompson said she is concerned about the agency's hiring standards: '[It] makes me question a lot of things. If you're going to hire somebody like that, what kind of other stuff are you willing to overlook. It's a stressful thing.'
DailyMail.com has reached out to the Union County Sheriff's Office for comment.
There had been no response at the time of writing.
In 2021 the Salisbury Police Department shared in a press release that Officer Hampton had tendered his resignation before the department formalized any potential disciplinary action against him.
The department announced that it was naming Hampton in a bid 'to restore and maintain the public confidence that has been detrimentally affected by this incident.'
An 'extensive investigation' was conducted at the time by the US ISS Agency, a third-party watchdog, which determined that Hampton acted in 'a manner entirely inconsistent with his K-9 training and had violated police department policy.'
The agency recommended that Hampton be terminated. A due process hearing did take place for the officer before he submitted his resignation.
The department added then that it will continue to review and make changes to their k-9 training operations, policies and procedures.
Footage of the incident, which is almost a minute long, shows the dog exit the car and get immediately scolded by the handler.
The officer then puts the leash on the dog before picking it up and dragging the German Shepherd over his shoulder. He proceeds to slam the dog into the side of the patrol car before putting the K-9 inside the vehicle.
'We're good, no witnesses,' the man says with a chuckle before repeatedly inquiring whether the other officers at the scene have their cameras on.
At one point in the clip it appears that the officer strikes the dog.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
22 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Ex-guard at California women's prison sentenced to 224 years for sexual abuse
A former California correctional officer convicted of dozens of sexual abuse charges at a women's prison was sentenced to 224 years in prison on Thursday. Gregory Rodriguez, 57, worked as a guard at the Central California women's facility (CCWF), the state's largest women's prison, and was found guilty in January of over 60 charges of abusing nine women in his custody, including rape and battery. Rodriguez's case became a huge scandal for the state, exposing a longstanding crisis of sexual misconduct and abuse behind bars. The officer was found to have targeted incarcerated women over the span of nearly a decade before he retired in 2022 while under investigation. A Guardian investigation published in 2023 revealed the prison received a report of Rodriguez's abuse in 2014, but did not terminate him and instead punished the victim. That survivor spoke of being sent to solitary confinement while authorities investigated claims of her abuse. It is rare for prison officers to be criminally charged and convicted for on-duty sexual misconduct, despite data suggesting abuse by guards is a systemic problem in California and across the US. Misconduct records disclosed by the California department of corrections and rehabilitation (CDCR) showed that from 2014 to 2023, hundreds of incarcerated women filed complaints of staff sexual abuse, but only four officers were terminated for sexual misconduct in that timeframe. Rodriguez, who worked for the CDCR for 27 years, isolated victims in areas without cameras and coerced them into sex by offering items such as gum or tobacco and threatening to 'make prison very difficult' if they did not comply, according to prison investigators' and victims' lawsuits. The majority of rapes charged by prosecutors occurred in 2021 and 2022 in the board of parole hearings area, where incarcerated residents have confidential attorney meetings and appear before commissioners to plead for their freedom. One woman struggling with substance use disorder said Rodriguez coerced her into sex by offering to get her addiction medication, but instead of getting her a prescription, he gave her heroin, which led her to overdose. In announcing the sentence, Judge Katherine Rigby recounted how Rodriguez lured his victims and tried to hide his assaults, saying the survivors would suffer 'lifelong impacts'. She said: 'These victims were put in unfathomable and untenable positions, and they could not leave as they were incarcerated.' Rodriguez had pleaded not guilty and his attorney sought to cast doubt on victims' accounts at trial. He was convicted on a majority of the more than 90 charges prosecutors brought on behalf of 13 women, though for some counts, the jury was hung or found him not guilty. His lawyers had asked for a 56-year sentence, and Rodriguez told the judge his daughter was sick and needed support. His family also testified on his behalf. After his conviction, his attorney, Roger Wilson, said 'the jury clearly believed some inmates and disbelieved others'. Wilson did not immediately respond to an inquiry. Some survivors testified in court last month in front of Rodriguez, including Nikki, who spoke out to the Guardian in 2023 from behind bars and has since been released. She has been referred to by her first name in court proceedings. 'For over a decade, I have lived in the aftermath of what you did to me,' she said in court, according to a copy of her statement she shared with the Guardian. 'I was an incarcerated woman – vulnerable, alone, stripped of dignity, humanity and power … You used that moment to feed on me. You hunted me … What you did was predatory, manipulative and evil. You violated me under the cloak of authority … You raped me when I had no freedom to run, no rights to call upon, no one I could tell without fear of retaliation. You didn't just hurt me, you shattered something sacred inside me. I'm still trying to crawl out of the hole you put me in.' She said he had 'groomed' her, saying he 'exploited my isolation, my loneliness, my hunger for basic humanity': 'You built a prison inside the prison, and I still live in that.' She added: 'I will no longer whisper the truth that you, your lawyer and CDCR tried to bury. This statement is for me so I can start to reclaim what you tried to take from me.' In an interview this week before sentencing, Nikki said she would not stay quiet: 'I'm doing this for the women who are still inside … who are too terrified to speak out, because that was once me, too.' She said the CDCR was 'run by bullies protecting themselves' and that while incarcerated, she faced harassment and intimidation after Rodriguez's abuse came to light: 'It was their way of silencing and normalizing the trauma they perpetuate … This was never about one bad apple. CDCR enabled Rodriguez, who got away with rape for years, and more abusers hide in plain sight. How many more women must be broken before we call this what it is: an injustice?' The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. On Thursday, before the sentence was announced, one incarcerated victim cried as she testified by Zoom from prison, condemning Rodriguez for failing to take responsibility or express remorse. Addressing his family, she said: 'He didn't think about his daughter when he raped me. He didn't care about me being someone's daughter … I will encourage women to speak up because there are too many men like you who are still out there.' Another survivor's statement, read by a victim's advocate, said that after Rodriguez raped her, she asked the CDCR for STD and pregnancy tests, but officials told her she would have to admit engaging in 'risky behavior' and could face discipline and a lengthened sentence. She criticized the department for not terminating supervisors and other officers who 'allowed this to continue for so long' despite knowing about Rodriguez's abuse. She said: 'The system has failed.' The CDCR previously said it had identified more than 22 potential victims of Rodriguez. A department spokesperson said on Thursday the sentence 'reaffirms CDCR's own internal investigation and referral' to prosecutors: 'The department resolutely condemns any staff member – especially a peace officer who is entrusted to enforce the law – who violates their oath and shatters public trust.' The spokesperson referred to a 2022 statement that said the CDCR enforces a 'zero-tolerance policy for sexual violence', that retaliation against people who report abuse 'is not tolerated', and that it was expanding its system of surveillance cameras to assist in 'preventing or detecting misconduct by both staff and inmate alike'. Last year, the US Department of Justice under the Biden administration opened a civil rights investigation into staff sexual abuse at CCWF and California's other women's prison, citing the Rodriguez case and hundreds of lawsuits. The justice department noted that officers accused of misconduct included 'the very people responsible for handling complaints of sexual abuse'. Under Trump, the justice department has dismissed police civil rights abuse cases brought by the previous administration, but advocates said the inquiry into California prison misconduct is ongoing. A justice department spokesperson declined to comment, and the CDCR spokesperson referred to a statement from last year saying the department 'embraces transparency' and welcomed the investigation. Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans have A LOT of complaints as streamer drops first trailer for 'shameful and utterly embarrassing' Jussie Smollett documentary
Jussie Smollett 's hate crime hoax is to be laid bare in an upcoming Netflix documentary - but livid viewers have countless complaints about the 'shameful' release as the first trailer drops. In 2019, the American actor falsely reported a hate crime that he staged against himself. The Empire star was found with a noose around his neck and claimed he was attacked by two men shouting 'racial and homophobic slurs' and who 'poured an unknown chemical substance on him'. A police investigation found Smollett's story did not add up and, at the end of 2021, he was found guilty of five charges over his false reports of being attacked. Three years later, Smollett's conviction was overturned on the basis of his fifth amendment rights having been violated when he was prosecuted after reaching a plea deal. It was a case that left the public reeling, and now Smollett himself is to be interviewed in Netflix's investigation into the events. The 43-year-old is attempting to reboot his career, Variety reports, and continues to insist his version of the story is the truth. He has branded Chicago Police and the city's mayor at the time, Rahm Emmanuel, 'villains' for their handling of what he maintains was a vicious assault. The documentary The Truth About Jussie Smollett? features interviews with lawyers, police and other officials familiar with the case, as well as journalists and 'investigators who claim to have uncovered new evidence.' 'Every single other person's story has changed multiple times. Mine has never,' Smollett told Variety this week. 'I saw firsthand how narratives are built. I saw firsthand the way that someone can take the exact opposite of who you are and literally sell it.' From the producers of documentaries The Tinder Swindler and Don't F**k With Cats, the film's titular question mark invites viewers to make their own decision about who is telling the truth. But it seems Netflix fans have already made up their minds, and have criticised the streaming service for giving Smollett a 'platform to lie'. One person wrote online: 'So Jussie created his own documentary to portray himself as a victim? A police investigation found Smollett's story did not add up and, at the end of 2021, he was found guilty of five charges over his false reports of being attacked 'He needs therapy badly. People like this have serious mental health problems, but there are real victims out there who truly need assistance.' And others, too, felt the documentary would unfairly portray Smollett as innocent. 'You already know they are gonna try to paint it like he was actually a victim,' wrote one. Another added: 'You should be ashamed of making this. We all know you're painting him as a victim. Insanity.' 'Imagine paying someone to victimize you lmao,' said one viewer. 'This dude wanted to be oppressed so badly. 'Meanwhile he was in a position of privilege most people will never achieve.... Utterly embarrassing.' Swathes of would-be watchers condemned the streamer for amplifying Smollett's voice. One person wrote: 'Netflix you are wrong for giving him a platform to lie,' and another echoed the sentiment: 'Why is anyone giving this liar a platform? Shameful.' But it seems Netflix fans have already made up their minds, and have criticised the streaming service for giving Smollett a 'platform to lie' Others feel the documentary is ill-timed and gives the story disproportionate weight. 'Dear Netflix, not every moron needs to tell their story on Netflix!' said one, and another wrote: 'Five years too late. I moved on, so should Jussie and the world.' 'Netflix giving a platform to this scammer is so sad. Subscription annulled,' said one. Another criticised the streamer, writing: 'They like giving anyone a show no matter how dumb it is.'
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Louisiana AG calls Roblox ‘perfect place for pedophiles' in lawsuit amid calls for CEO's resignation
Louisiana 's top prosecutor is suing Roblox, accusing the platform of failing to safeguard children from online predators and referring to it as the 'perfect place for pedophiles.' Attorney General Liz Murrill filed the suit on Thursday in Louisiana's 21st Judicial District, accusing the Roblox Corporation of recklessly designing its platform without a robust age verification process. According to the 42-page filing, tens of millions of users can easily create accounts with false birthdays, allowing adults to pose as children and minors to bypass controls meant to protect those younger than 13. About 20 percent of Roblox's 82 million users are under the age of nine, according to the company's 2024-25 annual report. The platform offers a vast catalogue of games and 'experiences,' a significant number of which are designed by users and include real-time messaging with a smaller portion offering voice chat for 13-plus accounts. The suit points to a tranche of sexually explicit in-game 'experiences' on the platform. They include 'Escape to Epstein Island,' referencing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and 600 games relating to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who was found guilty last month on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Another experience called 'Public Showers,' where users are encouraged to 'roleplay and relax' together, had more than 580,000 visits, according to a Louisiana DOJ screenshot shared by Murill on X. The suit alleges that a man arrested in Louisiana last month on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material was using the platform at the time he was taken into custody. He had allegedly used voice-altering technology to mimic the sound of a young female to lure and sexually exploit minors on the platform. It also accuses Roblox of unfair trade practices, negligence, and unjust enrichment, seeking a permanent order barring the company from violating Louisiana law or misrepresenting its safety features. According to the filing, the Roblox Corporation's 'failure to implement adequate safety features and its failure to provide notice of the danger, provides the perfect place for pedophiles.' In a statement released Thursday, Murill said: 'Roblox is overrun with harmful content and child predators because it prioritizes user growth, revenue, and profits over child safety. 'Every parent should be aware of the clear and present danger [posed] to their children by Roblox so they can prevent the unthinkable from ever happening in their own home.' A spokesperson for Roblox declined to comment on the allegations when pressed by NBC News, citing pending litigation. They said the company dedicates 'substantial resources' to help 'detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior, including attempts to direct users off platform, where safety standards and moderation may be less stringent than ours.' The company is facing a growing wave of lawsuits related to child safety and exploitation, including a federal filing in Texas alleging that an 8-year-old boy was sexually exploited on the platform. Roblox is also under bipartisan scrutiny, with Democratic Representative Ro Khanna launching an online petition against Roblox, accusing the platform of insufficient child safety measures. He hopes to garner one million signatures by Friday. Louisiana State Representative, Lauria Schlegal, a Republican, said that Murill's lawsuit was 'great news,' writing on X: 'Roblox has been one of the worst at protecting children on its platform and every year, they fight my online child protection bills.' Roblox's CEO and founder, David Baszucki, has faced calls to resign after his company sent a cease and desist letter to a YouTuber known for exposing alleged child predators. The Roblox Corporation reportedly issued a legal complaint last week to a 22-year-old content creator known as 'Schlep,' a self-styled 'predator hunter' who claims his investigations led to six arrests of individuals attempting to groom minors on the platform. A petition calling for Baszucki to 'fix what he's caused or resign' had more than 64,000 signatures by Friday morning. Another video citing the petitions for the Roblox CEO's resignation surpassed 1.3 million views on YouTube.
