Sheriff: video contradicts allegations in lawsuit

Barbour County Sheriff Leroy Upshaw sent out a press release on Tuesday afternoon commenting on the lawsuit pending against Chief Deputy Ronnie Benefield, saying that the accusations alleged against Benefield and various deputies are completely false.
The story related by the Barbour County Sheriff’s Department is much different than that listed in the lawsuit by the plaintiffs Tera Benefield and Ray Charles McCloud. The plaintiffs claim that deputies entered her residence, deploying a Taser against Leon Jernigan, Jr., who is also a plaintiff in the case. They then allegedly beat and choked a hand-cuffed McCloud for an extended period of time.
The press release states that Benefield and two other Barbour County deputies responded to a potential domestic dispute involving McCloud and Tera Benefield at the request of Tera’s seventeen year-old son on June 1.
The press release states, “Upon entering the home with the consent of Tera’s son, who has also been named as a defendant in the lawsuit, Chief Benefield and the deputies took only the time necessary to determine that no one was harmed.”
The Sheriff’s Department also claims to have a dashboard video that proves the deputies were in the house for only four minutes, despite McCloud’s claim that he was hand-cuffed and beaten for an extended period of time.
It also shows that, within six minutes, both McCloud and Tera walked out of the house uninjured and drove away of their own free will. This and other evidence are to be presented at the federal court hearing on July 6.
In response to Tera Benefield and McCloud’s claims that the alleged episode was racially motivated, the Barbour County Sheriff’s Department states that Benefield is “concerned that his daughter, Tera, is involved with McCloud but not because he is African American.
“Rather, Chief Benefield’s concern stems from the fact that McCloud is a convicted felon with a history of violence, drug distribution, and theft. McCloud has served time in prison and is presently wanted in Houston County on three outstanding felony drug warrants.”
It also points out that Benefield’s first calling is to serve as pastor of a multi-ethic church that welcomes people of all ethnicities. Chief Benefield has also performed a multi-ethnic marriage ceremony.

More information will appear in this weekend’s edition of The Eufaula Tribune.