Ex-Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Guilty of Assault, Misconduct

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After less than two hours of deliberation, a jury found former Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputy Johnathan Goldsmith guilty of second degree assault and battery and one count of misconduct in office for permanently disfiguring Tony Sims on October 15, 2020.

“I, frankly, have never seen anybody that took the beating that Mr. Sims took,” S.C. circuit court judge Robert Hood said after the verdicts were handed down. “A man was handcuffed and partially inside of a car and was tased and pepper sprayed after he was clearly knocked unconscious.”

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Despite Sims requesting his attacker receive the maximum sentence of thirteen years incarceration, Judge Hood committed Goldsmith to the S.C. Department of Corrections (SCDC) for one concurrent year — with a single day’s credit for time served in January of 2021.

“He’s honorably served his country… three times,” Goldsmith’s attorney said during sentencing. “He served so well that the sheriff decided to hire him. Virtually every law enforcement officer in this courtroom has walked up to him and offered him support.”

Despite the aforementioned support, Kershaw County sheriff Lee Boan escorted Goldsmith from the courtroom without handcuffs.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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