Investigation continues into Spring Valley incident

Questions remain as the investigation continues into a former school resource officer’s dragging a student from her chair at Spring Valley High.

Former Richland County deputy Ben Fields was fired after a student video showing him dragging the 16-year-old girl from her seat Oct. 26. The FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State Law Enforcement Division are investigating.

“We’ve been giving them full cooperation, everything they wanted,” Sheriff Leon Lott said Monday. “I think they’re pretty well done with all their interviews and got everything they need, so we’re just waiting like everybody else to hear back from them.”

Scott Hayes, the attorney representing Fields, said his client has talked with investigators. “We have cooperated throughout these investigations and provided investigators with a voluntary statement from Mr. Fields regarding the incident,” Hayes said.

Officials at the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and SLED declined comment Monday.

A court hearing was postponed indefinitely Monday for Niya Kenny, arrested on a charge of disturbing schools after she says she told classmates to film Fields. Flood damage at the magistrate court in Pontiac caused that delay.

“We are very anxious to have our day in court, but we have not heard anything yet,” said Todd Rutherford, a Richland County state representative who is one attorney representing Kenny.

Rutherford, who also is representing the girl Fields removed from her chair, declined to comment on her situation because she is a minor. She also faces a charge of disturbing schools.

Magistrate George Surles said the Pontiac court will reopen after Jan. 1.

“Of course, we now have a backlog of criminal cases, so we’ll be pretty busy in January, February and March with the backlog,” he said.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 8:29 AM with the headline "Investigation continues into Spring Valley incident."