A former Scotland Neck police officer has been indicted in
connection to the November death of Roger Anthony.
A grand jury in Halifax County indicted John Turner, 26, on the
charge of involuntary manslaughter, in the Nov. 21 death of Roger Anthony, 61,
who died after Turner shot him with a stun gun.
Turner responded to a call in reference to an intoxicated man
around 2:30 p.m. Nov. 21. When Turner arrived, he saw Anthony riding his bike
in the area and tried to get him to stop. When Anthony didn’t stop, Turner shot
him with his stun gun.
According to the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office, Anthony
died from head trauma suffered when he fell from his bicycle and hit his head
on the pavement.
Anthony had a history of seizures, according to the autopsy
report, and had endured a craniotomy in the past, which is a surgical procedure
where part of the skull is removed to allow surgical access to the brain.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation looked into the
case at the request of the Scotland Neck Police Department, and after a lengthy
investigation, the Halifax County District Attorney’s office obtained an
indictment June 25.
Turner was served with an order for arrest July 6 and has been
charged with involuntary manslaughter in Anthony’s death.
He is free on bond and is due in court Aug. 6.
Turner resigned from the Scotland Neck Police Department after
Anthony’s death.
Scotland Neck Mayor Leonard Bunting and Police Chief Joe Williams
declined to comment on the case when reached this morning.
District Attorney Melissa Pelfrey did not immediately respond to a
request to comment this morning.