Greer councilman files complaint with SLED

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"I believe that it is in the best interest of my constituents that a disinterested third party investigates this matter," Councilman Wayne Griffin wrote SLED.

Greer Interim Police Chief Jolene Vancil said, "I have not been made aware of the content of a request to SLED, but the Greer Police Department has always welcomed outside inspection of our policies and procedures and will continue to do so."

Elder Shippy, president of the East Spartanburg Branch of the NAACP, said the organization asked Griffin to file the request. He said the U.S. Justice Department advised the NAACP a request needed to go to SLED before it could step in to investigate per the NAACP's request to do so.

Griffin filed the request on behalf of his constituents and the NAACP, he said.

Greer Police on Sept. 8 charged Nathan Rosemond, 51, of 203 Woodhaven Drive, with assault and battery with intent to kill and assault and battery of an aggravated nature after two people were knifed outside the Greer Wal-Mart.

Rosemond is black, and the two others are white.

SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson said the agency would review Griffin's request, which it received Monday, to determine whether a criminal investigation is warranted.

In his letter, Griffin asked SLED to examine issues around reading Rosemond his rights, why other involved parties weren't arrested, how the charges were determined and how bail was set.

Greer police are conducting an internal investigation, as well, in response to a complaint Rosemond filed with the department.

Vancil said, "From the beginning, the Greer Police Department requested an outside review of this incident and took the initial step of asking the Spartanburg County Solicitor's Office, and through them, the Anderson County Solicitor's Office, to conduct a review."

Spartanburg referred the case to Anderson because of a conflict of interest.

Nan Lundeen can be reached at 298-4316.