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A White Army soldier filmed facing a black man walking through a South Carolina neighborhood will be prosecuted in civilian court, his commanding officer said on Friday.
Sgt. Jonathan Pentland First Class, stationed at Fort Jackson, was charged with third degree assault and battery in the April 8 incident, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said earlier in April.
The commanding officer of Fort Jackson, Brig. General Milford Beagle Jr. said in a statement Friday that he trusted the civilian justice system to deliver justice. Petland has been suspended from duty but is performing administrative duties as civil suits progress.
“While I have the authority to take action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice or to take other administrative action,” Beagle said, “I have the utmost confidence in our civilian criminal justice system and I am convinced that it will achieve a just and equitable resolution of this problem. Case.”
A cellphone video of the daylight showdown, reviewed by NBC News, shows Pentland stalking the anonymous black man, telling him to “come out” and “get away.”
“I live here,” the man said.
Pentland doesn’t seem to believe it and makes multiple physically threatening movements towards the victim. “Either you go or I’ll wear your ass out of here,” Pentland said.
“You smell drunk,” said the victim. “You are drunk.”
NBC News could not reach Pentland for comment.
Beagle said: “Your military is committed to tackling racism, extremism and corrosive behavior, but I must remain vigilant in protecting due process in civil and military jurisdictions as this unfolds.”
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