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Camden County Sergeant Indicted on 13 Federal Charges for Civil Rights Violations and Falsified Reports

The indictment marks a rare federal move to hold a law enforcement officer accountable for alleged systematic abuses of authority

Then-Georgia deputy Buck Aldridge points a taser at Leonard Cure during a traffic stop.
This still image from a deputy's body camera video provided by the Camden County Sheriff's Office shows Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge following a chase and arrest on June 24, 2022. Aldridge was placed on administrative pending an investigation after he fatally shot Leonard Cure on Oct. 16, 2023, in Camden County, Georgia. The deputy shot the Black man at point-blank range during a traffic stop after the man, who had been wrongfully imprisoned years ago, grabbed the officer by the neck and was forcing his head backward, according to video released by a sheriff. (Camden County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Overview

  • A federal grand jury in Savannah charged Sgt. Buck William Aldridge with deprivation of rights under color of law and falsifying records.
  • The Justice Department alleges Aldridge used excessive force in four separate arrests between 2021 and 2023 and then prepared misleading documents to conceal the misconduct.
  • None of the 13 counts address the October 2023 traffic stop on I-95 during which Aldridge fatally shot exonerated man Leonard Cure.
  • Aldridge was placed on administrative leave and faces up to 10 years in prison for each civil rights violation and up to 20 years for each falsified-document count if convicted.
  • The FBI’s Brunswick Field Office is investigating the allegations while the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia will prosecute the case.