Man hangs self in detention center
By THOMAS BROWN, T&D Staff Writer Wednesday, October 11, 2006The man who was accused of killing two men and injuring two others in a 1998 nightclub shooting, only to have the charges dropped, apparently hanged himself in the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center Monday while he was under suicide watch.
The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating the death of Damean Romell Casley, 28, of 214 Rivelon Road. He was found hanging in his cell at about 6:30 p.m., jail Director Willie Bamberg said.
“We will have further comment once the investigation is complete. Until then, we don’t know any more than what was there for us to see,” Bamberg said.
Casley was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of assault and battery with intent to kill in the 1998 shooting outside Club Malik on Magnolia Street that left two dead. The 1st Circuit Solicitor’s Office dropped the charges because no weapon was found and witnesses gave conflicting statements.
Casley arrived at the jail on the latest occasion on Sept. 22, charged with violating his parole on a 2004 conviction of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. He was to serve 90 days, Bamberg said.
He was under suicide watch since he tried to hang himself on Friday, Oct. 6, according to an Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
Jail Officer Frederick Brown found Casley in his cell hanging from the light cover by a sheet which was tied around his neck, according to a report by Sgt. R.J. Allen of the OCSO.
Jail Officer Rachel Green said she checked the area where Casley was being held at about 5:30 p.m. and he was all right, according to the incident report. After shift change, Brown relieved Green and discovered the body while doing a head count.
Allen said in his report that jail officers told him Casley should not have had any sheets in his cell because he was under suicide watch. They did not know where the sheet came from or how he got it.
Bamberg said Casley has been in and out of the detention center since 2004. In 2004, Casley was accused of putting a gun to a woman’s head, slapping her across the head and shooting at her. He was sentenced to five years, suspended to time served and three years probation.
It was not the first suicide attempt at the jail this year.
Jail officials said in August that Roger Johnson, 29, of Hartwell St., Orangeburg, attempted to kill himself while he was awaiting trial on murder and other charges.
Bamberg has said another man who attempted suicide suffered a stroke and partial paralysis, with the medical bills costing the jail about $500 a day.
The detention center is adding a separate room that can be continuously monitored for inmates at risk of committing suicide as part of its ongoing renovations.
-- T&D Staff Writer Thomas Brown can be reached at tbrown@timesanddemocrat.com and 803-533-5532. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.
To subscribe to the print edition of The Times and Democrat, click here.
Kina Riley wrote on Oct 21, 2006 11:59 PM:
J. Glover wrote on Oct 19, 2006 12:49 PM:
Bridgett Jamison wrote on Oct 18, 2006 8:53 AM:
Proud Reader wrote on Oct 17, 2006 1:06 PM:
Clarissa wrote on Oct 15, 2006 3:22 PM:
Jackson-Middleton Family wrote on Oct 15, 2006 3:15 PM:
Dr. Marian Greene Thompson-Kannapolis NC wrote on Oct 13, 2006 8:45 AM:
confisus sum wrote on Oct 12, 2006 10:45 AM:
luke wrote on Oct 12, 2006 9:53 AM:
Former Classmate wrote on Oct 12, 2006 8:40 AM:
Friend of the Family wrote on Oct 12, 2006 1:30 AM:
John Rembert, Jr. wrote on Oct 12, 2006 12:44 AM: