Police Misconduct and Racial Profiling in South Carolina

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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Anaysheon Coffey's Fight for Justice

Anaysheon Coffey, a Black woman in South Carolina, recently received a $120,000 settlement. This payout came after a white officer, Peter Beck, allegedly broke into her home without a warrant and fabricated charges against her in August 2020 (Atlanta Black Star). Coffey's journey for justice was a long one, lasting five years. This included two years battling the criminal charges, which were eventually dismissed (Atlanta Black Star).

Officer Peter Beck: A Timeline of Events

2019: Resignation from Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office

Forced to resign due to concerns about "zero throttle control" and being a "liability."

April 2020: Hired by Lancaster Police Department

Hired despite warnings from the Sheriff's Office about his problematic behavior.

August 2020: Incident with Anaysheon Coffey

Allegedly broke into her home without a warrant and fabricated charges against her.

February 2021: Community Complaints

More than 20 residents complained to City Council about Beck’s racial animosity.

April 2021: Resignation from Lancaster Police Department

Forced to resign after racial profiling accusations, received a $60,000 payout.

August 2021: Files Defamation Lawsuit

Sues Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, claiming defamation.

January 2022: Coffey's Charges Dismissed

Criminal charges against Anaysheon Coffey are officially dismissed.

2024: Deposition and Current Employment

States family history in law enforcement; currently employed by North Charleston Police Department.

December 2024: Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed

Beck's lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office is dismissed.

July 2025: Coffey's $120,000 Settlement

Anaysheon Coffey receives a settlement for the incident with Officer Beck.

Timeline of key events related to Officer Peter Beck's career and the Anaysheon Coffey case. Source: Atlanta Black Star

The specific charges against Coffey are not detailed in the lawsuit, and there is no public record of them on South Carolina court websites (Atlanta Black Star). However, she could only file her lawsuit after being cleared of these criminal charges (Atlanta Black Star). Tyler Bailey, Coffey's attorney, stated that this resolution sends a powerful message. It signifies that racial profiling and harassment will not be tolerated (Atlanta Black Star).

A legal settlement, such as the one Coffey received, is a resolution reached outside of court. It often involves one party paying money to another. It is important to understand that a settlement typically does not imply an admission of guilt or liability by the party making the payment. Instead, it is often a practical decision to avoid the costs, uncertainties, and potential negative publicity associated with a trial. The specific criminal charges fabricated against Coffey are not specified in the provided information. However, the context suggests they were serious enough to warrant his arrest and subsequent legal action. The legal process involved in dismissing fabricated charges typically includes a review by a prosecutor or a judge who determines that there is insufficient evidence or that the charges were improperly brought, leading to their dismissal.

Officer Beck's Troubling History

Officer Peter Beck has a documented history of alleged misconduct and racial profiling. He was forced to resign from two law enforcement agencies before being rehired by a third. For instance, Beck was forced to resign from the Lancaster Police Department in April 2021. This followed numerous accusations of racial profiling from citizens. He received a $60,000 payout upon his resignation (Atlanta Black Star).

Before his time with the Lancaster Police Department, Beck was forced to resign from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office in 2019. This was due to concerns about his "zero throttle control" and being a "liability" (Atlanta Black Star). In the context of internal police communications, "zero throttle control" likely refers to a lack of restraint or control over an officer's actions, particularly in high-stress situations. "Liability" refers to legal responsibility for harm or damages, indicating the potential for the department to be held accountable for his actions. Despite this troubling history, Beck is currently employed by the North Charleston Police Department, an agency that has also faced accusations of racial profiling (Atlanta Black Star).

The provided information does not explain why the North Charleston Police Department hired Beck despite his history. However, issues with police departments hiring officers with problematic pasts are not uncommon. Some officers with questionable professional histories have been fired from one department only to be hired by another, sometimes with the new department claiming positive references (postandcourier.com). This can be due to lax vetting processes, a lack of information sharing between agencies, or a willingness to overlook past issues due to staffing needs. The specific policies or laws violated by Beck are not explicitly outlined. However, officer misconduct generally refers to actions by law enforcement officers that violate departmental policies, state laws, or federal laws. This can include excessive force, false arrest, perjury, racial profiling, and other abuses of power. The seriousness of the accusations against Beck would stem from the violation of these professional and legal standards, potentially leading to criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and disciplinary action within the department.

Broader Issues in South Carolina Law Enforcement

Beck's alleged misconduct aligns with broader patterns of law enforcement issues in South Carolina. In a separate incident, a sheriff's lieutenant was fired for abusing the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to run a license plate and identify a private investigator, then going to their house (fitsnews.com). This highlights issues with internal investigations and misuse of resources within law enforcement.

Furthermore, two K9 specialists with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department were terminated in January 2025. They were accused of "stealing department equipment for personal gain for several months" after an undercover operation by their own department. They were charged with misconduct (fitsnews.com). In another case, a police chief in Central Pennsylvania was suspended in May 2025 after pulling a gun on a motorcyclist while off-duty. Video evidence contradicted his official report (pennlive.com). These incidents illustrate ongoing issues with officer conduct and accountability across different departments and states. The relevance of referencing misconduct in other departments and states, even if not directly linked to Beck's case, is to illustrate that the issues highlighted in Coffey's case are not isolated incidents but rather part of broader, systemic problems within law enforcement. This contextualization helps readers understand that officer misconduct, issues with accountability, and challenges in hiring and vetting are widespread concerns across the country, not just confined to one department or state. It underscores the scope of the problem and the need for comprehensive reforms.

Understanding Key Legal Terms

Racial Profiling

This is a discriminatory practice by law enforcement where individuals are targeted for suspicion of crime based on their race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin, rather than on individual behavior or evidence. It erodes trust and can lead to feelings of injustice.

Probable Cause

A legal standard that means there is a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that evidence of a crime will be found. Without probable cause, arrests and searches are generally considered unlawful under the Fourth Amendment.

Legal Settlement

A resolution reached between parties in a lawsuit outside of court, often involving a payment. It typically does not imply an admission of guilt or liability by the paying party, but rather a pragmatic decision to avoid trial.

Definitions of key legal terms relevant to the case. Source: Research conducted for this report.

Internal investigations in law enforcement agencies are processes by which the agency itself investigates alleged misconduct by its officers. These investigations are typically conducted by an internal affairs unit. The process usually involves collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses and the accused officer, and reviewing relevant policies and procedures. The goal is to determine if misconduct occurred and, if so, to recommend disciplinary action. Accountability mechanisms are designed to ensure that officers are held responsible for their actions, which can range from retraining and reprimand to suspension, demotion, or termination. Some departments, like the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, conduct their own investigations, while others, like most large departments in South Carolina, ask the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to investigate (data.postandcourier.com). Critics argue that agencies investigating their own officers is problematic (data.postandcourier.com). Police chiefs are required by state law to report misconduct to the SC Criminal Justice Academy within 15 days of the department's final action on an internal investigation (masc.sc).

Warnings Ignored: Beck's Rehire

The Lancaster Police Department hired Beck despite clear warnings from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office about his problematic behavior. Major J.M. Shaw of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office explicitly warned Lancaster Police Lieutenant Small that "Beck has zero throttle control and they were unable to control him" (Atlanta Black Star). This phrase, "zero throttle control," suggests a lack of restraint or an inability to control his actions, especially in intense situations.

Shaw also stated that Beck was involved in "a couple of cases that were close to excessive force." He added that the sheriff's office considered him "more of a liability than a benefit" (Atlanta Black Star). A "liability" in this context refers to the potential for legal and financial risk to the department due to an officer's actions. The sheriff's office explicitly stated they did not want Beck in the county in any working capacity if hired by the Lancaster Police Department. Yet, he was hired a month after resigning from the sheriff's office (Atlanta Black Star). The provided information does not detail the specific training or policy failures within the Lancaster Police Department that allowed Beck's behavior to persist. However, systemic issues in law enforcement that can contribute to persistent misconduct often include inadequate internal oversight, insufficient training on de-escalation or racial bias, a culture that tolerates or covers up misconduct, and a lack of clear disciplinary procedures or enforcement.

Beck's Dismissed Defamation Lawsuit

Beck attempted to challenge the narrative surrounding his past conduct by filing a defamation lawsuit against the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. He initiated this lawsuit in August 2021, five months after his resignation from the Lancaster Police Department (Atlanta Black Star). However, his legal efforts proved unsuccessful.

The lawsuit was dismissed in December 2024. Beck was unable to persuade the judge that he had been the victim of defamation or that his separation from the LCSO violated South Carolina public policy (Atlanta Black Star). In South Carolina, to prove defamation, a plaintiff must show a false and defamatory statement, unprivileged publication to a third party, fault on the part of the publisher, and either actionability of the statement or special harm caused by the publication (hhlawsc.com). Beck's defamation suit likely failed because he could not meet one or more of these legal standards, possibly due to the truthfulness of the statements made about his conduct, or his inability to prove the requisite level of fault or damages.

Community Outcry in Lancaster

Community members in Lancaster expressed significant outrage over Beck's conduct and the city's decision to pay him to resign. More than 20 residents attended a Lancaster City Council meeting in February 2021 to complain about Beck’s alleged racial animosity towards Black citizens (Atlanta Black Star). This public outcry highlighted the deep impact of his actions on the community.

Reverend Anthony Pelham, a Black pastor, voiced his outrage that $60,000 of taxpayer money was used to pay off an officer who had negatively impacted Black individuals (Atlanta Black Star). Arlene Clyburn also complained to the city council about Beck harassing her family members. She described instances of him pulling people out of cars, handcuffing them, and then releasing them without probable cause (Atlanta Black Star). Probable cause is a legal standard that refers to the reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that evidence of a crime will be found. Without probable cause, arrests and searches are generally considered unlawful under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The provided information does not detail broader community responses or reforms in Lancaster beyond council meeting complaints. However, significant incidents of police misconduct often lead to increased public scrutiny, demands for police reform, community activism, and sometimes the implementation of new policies or oversight mechanisms.

Financial Outcomes: Settlements and Payouts

$120,000
Anaysheon Coffey's Settlement

$60,000
Officer Beck's Resignation Payout

Comparison of the settlement received by Anaysheon Coffey and the payout given to Officer Peter Beck upon his resignation. Source: Atlanta Black Star

Beck's Family Ties to Law Enforcement

During a 2024 deposition, Peter Beck's family history in law enforcement was brought to light. He stated, "My dad was – he’s a retired cop, my uncle’s a retired cop, my great-grandfather is a retired cop, so it’s kind of in the blood" (Atlanta Black Star). This statement suggests a long-standing family tradition in policing.

The relevance of Beck's family history in law enforcement is not explicitly connected to the narrative in the provided information. However, such details are often included in reporting to provide context about an officer's background, potential influences, or to highlight a pattern of family involvement in a particular profession. In some cases, it might be relevant to discussions about "fiefdoms" or entrenched power structures within law enforcement, particularly concerning sheriffs who can pass their jobs down through generations (postandcourier.com). Racial profiling, a central issue in this case, refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin rather than on individual behavior or probable cause. Socially, it erodes trust between communities and law enforcement, perpetuates stereotypes, and can lead to feelings of injustice and marginalization. Legally, it is often challenged under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.