Charleston Reporter

Social justice activists held a press conference Tuesday outside of the Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston, the institution where Jamal Sutherland died Jan. 5 while in the custody of the Charleston County Sheriff's Office.

According to Live 5 News WCSC, Sutherland died after "deputies attempted to forcibly remove him from his cell" in order to "attend a bond hearing on an assault charge."  

During the presser, Justin Hunt, president of Stand as One and members of the South Carolina Black Activist Coalition sought answers as to why their and other activists' social media accounts were being monitored by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office in the days leading up to a video that shows Sutherland being beaten by the deputies and later dying, according to Live 5 News.

Hunt called out the sheriff's office for "spying on" and "targeting" him, state Rep. Wendell Gilliard, activist Kwadjo Campbell, and other local activists without reason, according to ABC News 4.

“I am not a threat due to the color of my skin," said Hunt, who had emails that showed the sheriff’s office was monitoring his and activists' social media posts.

Hunt then went on to criticize Sheriff Kristin Graziano, whom he helped get elected, for not providing information such as the names of the officers involved and the delay in the release of the video that led to Sutherland's death.

Prior to the press conference, the sheriff’s office declined a request from activists for an interview last week and referred all questions to the SEAHAWK Interagency Operations Center, which has not yet responded, according to WCSC Live 5.