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A former officer of the North Charleston Police Department (NCPD) has been indicted by agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) following the discovery of a “concerning incident” observed by superiors nearly a year earlier.
Last Wednesday (December 4, 2024), 44-year-old Louis Marion Smoak was charged with misconduct in office and booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center. Within hours, he was released on a $20,000 personal recognizance (PR) bond set by S.C. circuit court judge Heath Taylor.
According to separation paperwork from the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA), Smoak resigned from NCPD within hours of being placed on administrative leave on January 23, 2024. His abrupt exit came amid the uncovering of a video forwarded to the S.C. First Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
“The video was located and reviewed,” NCPD Sgt. Jeremy Dalton wrote in Smoak’s separation papers. “(NCPD) officers were handling a warrant… and observed a suspect with his handcuffs in the front, screaming at officers and banging his head against a window (sic).”
According to Dalton, the aforementioned video captured Smoak “yelling” at his detained suspect before resorting to violence on camera. The incident occurred on November 25, 2023, at approximately 3:00 p.m. EST in the parking lot of a Walmart.
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“The subject was already secured inside a vehicle,” Dalton continued. “Smoak opened the door and aggressively handled the subject while escalating and upsetting the arrestee.”
Specifically, “he entered across the backseat and struck the subject with a closed fist to the face (sic),” Dalton wrote.
Following a short pause, multiple officers are said to have watched their “master patrol officer” struck the suspect a second time. Smoak’s audience proceeded to remain idle as he ripped his detainee from the patrol vehicle — causing his head to hit the pavement.
“The arrestee is secured in leg shackles and pushed into the side of the car,” Dalton continued. “His head is pushed into the open trunk hard enough to cause the vehicle trunk to shake… Smoak then goes around the car… and pulls the subject back across the seat (sic).”
Only then did officers intervene. Sixty days later, Smoak’s resignation involved misconduct as defined in S.C. Code of Laws § 23-23-150.
While his post-law enforcement journey remains unclear, Smoak appears to have registered a limited liability company (LLC) one week after abandoning the badge. Designated Pointer Investigation Services, Smoak’s business remains in “good standing” with the state.
Earlier this year, former Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Deputy Johnathan Lewis Goldsmith was found guilty of misconduct in office and convicted to 364 days imprisonment following an analogous incident in October 2020.
This story may be updated.
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RECEIPTS…
(SLED)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
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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1 comment
Not good! Thanks Andy.