Jailer Arrested for Assault and Battery on a Juvenile
Juvenile Knocked Unconscious
(SC) – Aaron Turner Renaud, a detention officer the at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, was arrested on Friday. The arrest stems from two different assaults. The articles on the arrest are unclear if it was two different juveniles or one juvenile who was assaulted twice. But at least one handcuffed juvenile was slammed into walls and railings and knocked unconscious.
The first assault occurred on October 18. The second assault occurred on November 30. The internal affairs investigation didn’t begin until December 11. No information was given as to why it took so long to begin investigating the assaults. We also don’t know how the assaults were discovered.
Criminal Investigation Conducted
A criminal investigation was started at the same time as the internal affairs investigation. An officer’s report is supposed to document any use of force. Some agencies have specific use of force reports. Officer Renaud did not generate a use of force report and it’s unknown if he generated an officer’s report at all.
What they do know is that during the second incident, Officer Renaud did not turn on his bodycam. However, surveillance video did capture both assaults. The criminal investigation was also able to get medical records and a statement from the juvenile.
Sheriff’s Statement
In a statement, Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano said, “After an internal investigation, my agency terminated on Jan. 20, 2021, former Detention Deputy Aaron Renaud for violating agency policies at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. We also referred the case out for a criminal investigation. In this case, the system worked: my staff recognized that policy was not followed and took it up the chain of command.”
Aaron Turner Renaud Terminated
38-year old Aaron Renaud was employed at the Sheriff Al Canon Detention Center from February 2016 to January 2021. He was terminated from his position after the internal affairs investigation determined that he had violated policy. Those violations were the use of excessive force and not documenting the use of force.
According to the Letter of Termination,
During the investigation, you were unable to provide a reasonable explanation as to why there was no video of the incident from your body worn camera. By your own admission, the juvenile was not actively resistive and due to the fact the juvenile was handcuffed, he did not pose a threat to you in any way. After reviewing the video, it was more probable that you acted out of anger rather than the need to use force necessary to gain compliance. Therefore, the use of force was not only excessive, it was completely unnecessary based on the absence of any physical resistance. Furthermore, following the incident, you failed to document the use of force by completing and submitting a Use of Force Report, per policy. In essence, your actions reflected poorly on the Sheriff’s Office.
Criminal Charges Filed
Officer Renaud was charged with two counts of assault and battery. In South Carolina, second degree assault and battery is a misdemeanor. The penalty is “up to three (3) years in prison or a fine of up to $2,500 or both.” Renaud was given a $20,000 bond. He was booked into the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center, the same facility he worked at, and immediately bonded out.