[NC] TEFLON: Assaulting handicapped wife charge couldn't stick to Officer Wiley

There is nothing in any article written that speaks up for the wheelchair-bound estranged wife of Shelby Police Officer Marshall Letitus Wiley. There is only what a good guy Officer Wiley is, how he wouldn't do a thing like assault his wife, how he comes from a law enforcement family, who supports him, on and on. His wife's voice and accusations are as nothing, completely unrepresented in the news. Why he was found not guilty isn't even hinted at - as if that's not important.

POLICE OFFICER FOUND NOT GUILTY OF ASSAULTING ESTRANGED WIFE

Gaston Gazette

Corey Friedman

July 27, 2011 7:35 AM

[Excerpts] A city police officer was found not guilty of assaulting his estranged wife Tuesday, but he can’t return to duty until an internal investigation is complete. Gaston County District Court Judge John Greenlee acquitted 29-year-old Marshall Letitus Wiley in a Tuesday morning hearing, according to court records. He had been charged with assault on a handicapped person stemming from an alleged May 24 tussle with his wife at her Gaston County home... Wiley, who joined the Shelby Police Department in December 2008, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal and internal cases... Wiley graduated from Shelby High in 2000 and played on a Golden Lions state championship football team, Eskridge said. After working at an auto parts store, Wiley became a corrections officer at the Cleveland County Detention Center, his sister said. After working 12-hour shifts at the jail, he drove to Gaston College in Dallas to take basic law enforcement training classes. Wiley’s grandfather was a Cleveland County sheriff’s deputy... [Full article here]

EXCERPTS FROM EARLIER ARTICLES:

SHELBY POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT ON HANDICAPPED PERSON

WBTV

By Andre Dykes

Posted: May 24, 2011

[Excerpts] Deputies in Cleveland County took a Shelby police officer [Marshall Letitus Wiley] into custody around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and arrested him for assault on a handicapped person... Wiley was charged with one count of assault on a handicapped person, a Class 2 misdemeanor. In North Carolina, a person found guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor could spend up to 60 days in jail... A spokesperson for the police department has not returned messages to WBTV... The police report did not say if Wiley was given a bond. A mug shot was not available. [Full article here]

SHELBY POLICE OFFICER ON LEAVE AFTER ARREST ON ASSAULT CHARGE

The Shelby Star

Corey Friedman

Wednesday, May 25 2011

[Excerpts] ...“It’s unfortunate that this is taking place, but we’re going to let the criminal justice system do its part, and we’re going to do our part,” [Police Chief Jeff] Ledford said... Ledford spoke to Wiley on Tuesday afternoon, but said he didn’t know the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault. “We have had no conversation about the case,” Ledford said. “Our conversations have been strictly about the process we’re going through and our investigation on our end.” The police chief didn’t want to speculate on whether Wiley could remain a police officer in the event of a guilty verdict. “It would depend on what he’s found guilty of”... [Full article here]

SHELBY POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED AFTER ASSAULT ALLEGATION

WSOCTV.com.

May 25, 2011

[Excerpts] ...[Shelby police officer Wiley’s Shelby's] sister, Sherika Eskridge, said she doesn't believe the allegations. “This definitely not his character,” Eskridge said. She said her brother dreamed of being an officer. “He came from a law enforcement family,” she said. “Our grandfather was a deputy.” Eskridge said Wiley's proudest moment was when he started working at the Shelby Police Department in December 2008... “It was hard to be arrested in front of co-workers,” Eskridge said. Wiley's estranged wife filed the warrant in Gaston County, where she lives. She claims Wiley physically assaulted her at her home. She's in a wheelchair because part of her leg was amputated after an accident. Channel 9 talked to Police Chief Jeff Ledford about the allegations. “Law enforcement is held to a higher standard, but I think we should be,” Ledford said. He said his staff has started an internal investigation that will be as intense as any criminal investigation. “We have got to restore that public confidence and assure folks we do stuff above board,” Ledford said... [Full article here]

FAMILY SUPPORTS SHELBY POLICE OFFICER ACCUSED OF ASSAULT

The Shelby Star

Corey Friedman

May 26 2011

[Excerpts] Marshall Wiley is a former high school football star and a cop’s grandson who cut his teeth in criminal justice as a Cleveland County jailer. The police officer who is accused of assaulting a handicapped woman last week isn’t the kind of person who would break the law, his sister said Wednesday. He has too much to lose. “He loves his job, and he definitely wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize his job,” said Shelby resident Sherika Eskridge. “He cannot keep his mind off it because it is his career and his reputation on the line.” Wiley, 29, was arrested Tuesday and charged with assault on a handicapped person. The incident allegedly happened last Thursday in Gaston County, but the details remain unclear. His arrest warrant had not been returned to the Gaston County Clerk of Superior Court’s office Wednesday. Family members are standing behind Wiley, who joined the Shelby Police Department in December 2008. Police Chief Jeff Ledford placed Wiley on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of his criminal case and an internal affairs investigation into the charge. “These allegations against him are definitely not his character,” Eskridge said. “They are out of character for him. They are just that — allegations. We are supporting him 100 percent. He is a good man”... Eskridge said media reports about the arrest and criticism from some in the community have taken a toll on her brother. “He’s upset, he’s hurt,” she said. “It’s not only tough on him, it’s been tough on his family as well.” [Full article here]

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