6.Benjamin Boyd — In-Camera Testimony (Part 1)
69 linesBENJAMIN BOYD, being first duly sworn, testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Once you're seated, state your full name, spelling your last name.
BENJAMIN BOYD: My name is Benjamin Boyd. B-O-Y-D. IN-CAMERA DIRECT EXAMINATION
By Mr. Madsen:
MR. MADSEN: Officer Boyd, where are employed?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Kirkland Correctional Center, South Carolina.
MR. MADSEN: How long have you been at Kirkland?
BENJAMIN BOYD: I've been there seven years.
MR. MADSEN: Is that the only place that you've worked at while you've been at SCDC?
BENJAMIN BOYD: No. I worked at Manning Correctional Center, too.
MR. MADSEN: And how long were you there?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Two.
MR. MADSEN: And at Kirkland, you were working in the supermax area?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes.
MR. MADSEN: And you heard -- so you're there when Tim Jones, Jr. comes in?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes.
MR. MADSEN: And, I guess, that's about 2:20 on the 12th of September of 2014?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes.
MR. MADSEN: And while he's there, he's there for intake, correct?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes.
MR. MADSEN: And what officers are there for the intake?
BENJAMIN BOYD: It was Lieutenant Pressley and Hawkins in the sally port gate, and -- at first. And I came in with Mr. Jones in the door, and in the door with the Lexington County officer.
MR. MADSEN: And this was something that was unusual, correct?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Unusual, how?
MR. MADSEN: Well, that -- for someone coming from SCDC -- I mean, there were a lot of people there. You all knew that this was going -- or that Tim was coming through?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes, because he was a safekeeper. So they come to supermax instead of him coming in the reception area, R&E. He couldn't go to the regular yard because he's a safekeeper.
MR. MADSEN: And safekeeper, generally in SCDC, that's where the people go that have gotten in trouble in other facilities, correct?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Or their counties don't want to hold them because they think it's too dangerous for them to be there.
MR. MADSEN: And even the Director was there, wasn't he?
BENJAMIN BOYD: I'm pretty sure. I think so. It was just about -- I mean, everybody was there.
MR. MADSEN: So that's Director Sterling. I mean --
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yeah.
MR. MADSEN: -- in charge of the whole prison system?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yeah. Yes.
MR. MADSEN: So very unusual to have all those folks there --
BENJAMIN BOYD: Uh-huh.
MR. MADSEN: For just a regular ole check-in, correct?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes.
MR. MADSEN: And when Tim came in, was he -- what is the protocol that he went through?
BENJAMIN BOYD: He got out of the van with one sheriff's deputy and he comes through the door and he has to be checked and sit in the metal detector chair and checked out. And then after he's -- then he has to change into other -- out of the uniform he was in into SCD uniforms.
MR. MADSEN: And does he get strip searched?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes.
MR. MADSEN: Hair cut?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Not that minute. He has to do medical first.
MR. MADSEN: And at some point in time, you saw Lieutenant Pressley asking what happened, correct?
MR. HUBBARD: Objection to leading. This is his witness.
THE COURT: All right. Rephrase your question.
MR. MADSEN: Did you hear Lieutenant Pressley say anything to Tim?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Tim was already talking about the way they transported him.
MR. MADSEN: Okay.
BENJAMIN BOYD: You know, he was saying something about that all 10 cars went one way and he went another way, because he only came with one deputy, you know. That was kind of unusual, you know.
MR. MADSEN: You all kind of talked about that there wasn't any media attention or anything and that kind of surprised you all?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Just a little bit.
MR. MADSEN: So at some point in time, did Lieutenant Pressley ask him what happened?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Well, Lieutenant Pressley came into the middle of the conversation when he was talking about the escort and he asked kind of like what happened, and then Tim just held his hands up -- showed us his hands. And then he just kept -- then he said it about his son. He just blurted it out and he just kept going.
MR. MADSEN: And what did he say?
BENJAMIN BOYD: He blurted out saying that his son was messing with the light socket and he grabbed him.
MR. MADSEN: What else do you recall?
BENJAMIN BOYD: And he choked him.
MR. MADSEN: Anything else that you recall?
BENJAMIN BOYD: He was talking so much and there was a lot of other things going on. You know, we kept switching off to get people in the MSU and people was going to the gate and medical people was coming by. I mean, he just said something about that while he was choking his son, his daughter came in the room. And then, that was the last part I heard.
MR. MADSEN: Okay. Was Tim upset during this time?
BENJAMIN BOYD: It didn't seem like it. It just seemed like he was -- by then, you know, we was just listening and it just seems like he was -- he was shaken a little bit, but not that much.
MR. MADSEN: You didn't see him crying?
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yes. But he had some tears when he first came in, but when he started talking, he wasn't really -- kept crying. To me, it didn't seem like it.
MR. MADSEN: Well, you went with the Solicitor's Office and told them that he was upset and crying during that time and that Pressley was using his CIT in an attempt --
BENJAMIN BOYD: Yeah. He was just -- we let me talk, and then he just would say yes, and if you asked him any questions, he would just answer them. It wasn't --
MR. MADSEN: That's all the questions I have.
MR. HUBBARD: One follow-up.