Fort Jackson drill Sergeant, 42, filmed shoving black man, 22, who wandered into his gated community is found guilty of assault and must now choose between 30 days in jail or $1,087 fine
An Army Drill Sergeant has been found guilty of third-degree assault and battery and can choose to either spend 30 days in jail or pay a $1,087.50 fine over a widely-shared video showing him shoving a black man in his gated community.
Jonathan Pentland, 42, was caught on video back in April shouting at Deandre Smith 22, who was walking past his house in Lakes at Barony place - a gated community in Richland County, South Carolina.
'You came to the wrong neighborhood motherf****r,' he said.
Army Drill Sergeant Jonathan Pentland (left), 42, has been found guilty of third-degree assault and battery after a video of him shoving Deandre Williams (right), 22, went viral. They are both pictured leaving court on Monday where Pentland was told he can choose to either spend 30 days in jail or pay a $1,087.50 fine
At the trial Pentland (pictured leaving court) said he received 'thousands' of death threats after the video went viral and his wife had to find a new job and his daughter a different school
Pentland (in mug) testified himself and said his threatening demeanor and strong language stemmed from his military training to deescalate situations and was a result of fear that his family would be hurt
At the trial witnesses testified that they saw Pentland shove and hit Williams on the arm, who said he was trying to avoid confrontation.
The officer who arrested Pentland testified that the video of the confrontation spoke for itself. Pentland weighs about 100 pounds more than Williams and was towering over the other man while yelling.
The Richland County Sheriff's Department charged Pentland days after the video was posted to social media. He faced civilian - not military court - on assault charges after his commander said he trusted the justice system to bring a 'fair resolution.'
After a two-day trial, magistrate Judge Diedra Hightower (pictured) gave a guilty verdict. It was a bench trial, meaning there was no jury and only the judge determined the outcome
Prosecutor Paul Walton said Pentland broke the law three times: When he shoved Williams before the video started; again as Williams took an awkward step toward the Army veteran's wife; and then when he slapped Williams's cellphone out of his hand as he held it up trying to record the encounter.
Walton attributed Pentland's actions to the fact that 'his pride is hurt'.
'He's a drill sergeant and he's used to people doing what he says,' the prosecutor added.
Several witnesses said Williams was acting 'erratic' or volatile before the incident. Another neighbor, Kimberly Hernandez, claimed that Williams had harassed her family in the run-up to the confrontation with Pentland, and said he had disturbed her daughter-in-law by picking up the woman's baby.
On Monday, after a two-day trial, magistrate Judge Diedra Hightower gave a guilty verdict. It was a bench trial, meaning there was no jury and only the judge determined the outcome.
Williams's father testified that his son, once a high-performing student, suffered potential brain damage after being diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of cancer.
Williams, who is now in remission, suffered swelling throughout his lymph system and in his brain, according to his father's testimony. He cried as he said that as a result of the cancer Williams struggles to complete basic tasks, such as getting groceries, without assistance.
The three-minute clip shows Pentland repeatedly screaming at Williams. 'You came to the wrong neighborhood motherf****r,' he said
In the video Pentland denied that he hit Williams, who clarified that he was actually pushed
Pentland's attorney, Benjamin Allen Stitely, said that the three-minute video was only a small part of an altercation that lasted 20 minutes.
He argued that Pentland was justified in his actions and the guilty verdict was not based on Williams's behaviors before cameras were turned on.
Stitley believed officials jumped to conclusions after public reaction to the video instead of fully investigating the incident.
'They didn't want the truth. They wanted to make up a bully for TV's sake,' Stitely said.
The officer that signed the arrest warrant testified that he never listened to the 911 calls about Williams's odd behavior, which included allegedly touching a stranger's baby.
Stitley said people labeled Pentland as a 'bully and a racist' when he was actually 'defending his family and friends'.
Williams said after the verdict: 'As a young man, if I go on a walk, I shouldn't feel any form of pressure.'
Black Lives Matter protesters were seen rallying outside the South Carolina home the day after the video was posted to social media
Pentland was seen fleeing his home in the early hours of the day following the BLM protest
Images posted on social media show at least three dozen people outside the drill sergeant's home on Wednesday
Pentland testified himself and said his threatening demeanor and strong language stemmed from his military training to deescalate situations and was a result of fear that his family would be hurt.
He said he was acting in self-defense and not 'trying to pick a fight'.
'It's embarrassing to the community,' Pentland testified.
'I'm sorry for the way it escalated. Anybody looking back at this, you can watch that video and 100 per cent see that it looks worse than it is. I did what I felt I had to do to protect my friends and family,' he added.
Pentland said he received 'thousands' of death threats after the video swept the internet and his wife had to find a new job and his daughter a different school.
In the clip seen by millions, Pentland is seen telling Williams: 'You're in the wrong neighborhood... You either walk away or I'm going to carry your a** out of here.'
Pentland followed Williams and he told the officer: 'You better not touch me... I live here, sir.'
Fort Jackson's Commander Brig Gen Milford Beagle Jr (pictured) said in a statement that the Army will leave the prosecution of Jonathan Pentland to the civilian criminal system
The confrontation happened on Tuesday April 12, 2021. Dozens of Black Lives Matter protesters rallied outside Pentland's home on Wednesday night, holding signs and chanting on the street outside his gated-community home.
One woman is heard shouting: 'I'm on your yard! We just want to talk, we want to understand some things, that's it.'
Others in the crowd are heard saying: 'No justice, no peace!'
Footage of the protest was posted on Facebook by Alexis Sincere, who brought a sign that read: 'We can walk around this [home] if we want to.'
Most of the demonstrators were African Americans. A few were seen speaking through bullhorns and most were recording the event on their cell phones.
In the early hours of the following day, footage was posted to social media showing Pentland leaving his home.
Pentland was a drill instructor at Fort Jackson, a US Army installation located in South Carolina where soldiers undergo basic combat training.
The Army veteran was suspended from his duties after video of the incident went viral.
'Soldier conduct on and off duty must be exemplary to retain the trust of our communities and our nation,' Beagle said.
Pentland pictured in uniform. He was a drill sergeant at Fort Jackson in South Carolina
Cassie Pentland, his wife, could also be heard shouting at Williams and telling him police have already been called
Pentland is seen above with his wife, Cassie Dawn Dalrymple, after announcing their engagement
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