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Ex-SC officers plead guilty to federal charge

  • Updated

FLORENCE, S.C. - Two former Marion police officers have pleaded guilty to federal charges that they used their Tasers excessively on a woman while arresting her.

The U.S. Justice Department says in a news release that Eric Walters and Franklin Brown each pleaded guilty Monday to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for using unreasonable force.

Authorities say Walters was arresting the woman in April 2013 and shocked her several times with a Taser. Investigators say Brown came to help Walters with the arrest and shocked the woman several more times.

The woman was handcuffed, and authorities say the officers admitted there was no legitimate law enforcement reason for repeatedly using a Taser on her.

The men will be sentenced later and face up to 10 years in prison.

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