Justice Says Video of I-81 Arrest ‘Very, Very concerning.’

One of the first tasks for interim State Police Superintendent Jack Chambers is to get to the bottom of the death of a man following his arrest by troopers last February. Edmond Exline died after a confrontation with State Police along I-81 near Martinsburg.

Exline was walking along the interstate around 9:15 Saturday evening, February 11th, when a State Police trooper stopped him. A struggle ensued and Exline was tased. The police report said Exline became unresponsive, and troopers were unable to revive him. He died in the hospital the following day.

There is dash camera video of the confrontation, but State Police have not released it, citing an ongoing investigation. However, Governor Jim Justice has seen it and was disturbed.

“The video is very, very concerning,” he said. “The investigation is ongoing at this time,” Justice said. “Jack Chambers has got to really get into this as well.”

The troopers involved have been placed on administrative leave.

Chambers’ plate is full. There is the I-81 investigation, the theft by an off-duty State Police Captain of more than $700 in an envelope accidently dropped at the Mardi Gras Casino, and the destruction of a thumb drive containing video taken by a hidden camera in the women’s locker room at the State Police Academy.

And those are the issues we know about. We keep hearing there may have been more wrongdoing within the higher ranks of the State Police that is still under investigation.

But back to Exline’s death.

Family members have told the media that Exline was mentally ill. “Eddie was a good guy when he wasn’t suffering this disease,” Sarah Harman, Exline’s sister-in-law, told WFMD radio. 

So far, it is unknowable exactly what happened in the I-81 incident. Chambers is responsible for an internal investigation, and a special prosecutor has been appointed to determine if any criminal charges should be filed. Justice has promised transparency.

The police have a dangerous and difficult job, especially when they are dealing with someone who is mentally ill. There is often a fine line between restraining someone who is resisting arrest and exacerbating the situation by overreacting or using excessive force.

It is important not to pile on. Armchair second-guessing of the police undermines their ability to effectively enforce the law. However, when there are legitimate questions about police actions—as there are in the I-81 case—a thorough investigation and full transparency are equally critical to our confidence in law enforcement.

 

 

 





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