POLICE CLEARED IN TEEN'S CRACK DEATH

A Charleston County jury deliberated almost four hours Monday before
finding that the North Charleston Police Department wasn't at fault in
the 2005 death of Travone Bell, a 16-year-old who died after he
swallowed crack cocaine and lied about it.

The verdict followed a week-long trial in which the actions of police,
jailers and others were scrutinized to see if they could have -- or
should have -- done more to help the teen after he was pulled over for
a traffic violation.

Defense attorney Sandy Senn said the verdict won't change the way
North Charleston police do business.

"Obviously, if someone denies they swallowed drugs, they're going to
suffer the consequences," she said. "That was a decision he (Bell)
made, not North Charleston police."

The Charleston County Sheriff's Office, which runs the juvenile
detention center where Bell suffered his first heart attack on Feb.
18, 2005, was included as a defendant at first but later released from
the case after testimony began.

Attorney Michele Forsythe, who represented Bell's parents Trojan Bell
and Angelic Brown, said police should have done more to protect their
son, especially since he was too young to appreciate the mistake he
made.

"They let him die, and the only way we can get North Charleston to
change, to treat children and teens the way they should be treated, is
by making them pay," Forsythe said in her closing remarks. "That's how
it works."

But defense attorney Robin Jackson said police had no way of knowing
that Jackson had swallowed crack because he denied it and was not
showing any symptoms, such as sweating, acting jumpy or talking fast.

"None of those happened," she said in her closing remarks. "Ladies and
gentlemen, the police don't want people they arrest to die. That's not
why they're out there on the street. ... They are heroes. They're out
there every night protecting us. They would have protected Travone
Bell if he had given them an opportunity."

Bell's parents were disappointed with Monday's verdict, Forsythe said.
"They had hoped that the jury would find for Travone, and of course,
we all hoped the jury would send a message to North Charleston, but I
believe a message has been sent through this process, and I believe
that North Charleston has heard it."

The case originated as a federal lawsuit, but U.S. District Judge
Margaret Seymour divided the case into two parts.

She ruled against Bell and Brown on a civil rights action and sent the
wrongful death question to be heard in the Charleston County Court of
Common Pleas.

Circuit Judge Clifton Newman presided over that trial, which began
last week and ended Monday.

Bell and Brown's lawyers have appealed to the U.S. Fourth Circuit
Court of Appeals, asking it overturn Seymour's decision setting aside
the civil rights case without a trial.