Georgia deputy who killed exonerated man indicted on civil rights violations

On Oct. 16, 2023, Aldridge made national headlines after he opened fire during a traffic stop on I-95 near the Florida border after being choked by 53-year-old Leonard Cure, who spent more than 16 years in prison for a wrongful robbery conviction. After being exonerated in 2020, Cure had been living in metro Atlanta.

On that day, Aldridge pulled over Cure’s pickup truck after he said it was clocked going more than 100 mph. Cure was visiting his mother in Florida at the time.

According to bodycam footage of the stop, Aldridge told Cure he was under arrest for speeding and reckless driving and threatened to use his Taser several times. Cure was eventually seen extending his left hand into the air before being Tased by the deputy. Cure then grabbed Aldridge, who tried to place him in a headlock. A fight ensued, and Cure was seen choking the deputy, who shot him, the footage showed.

Cure was treated by paramedics and died, authorities said.

Credit: Innocence Project of Florida

Credit: Innocence Project of Florida

Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins later determined the use of deadly force was objectively reasonable “given that he was being overpowered at that time,” The Associated Press reported.

Cure’s family, represented by attorney Ben Crump, has filed a lawsuit against the deputy and the county, maintaining that excessive force was used. The lawsuit seeks at least $17 million in damages.

Aldridge, who was placed on administrative leave following the 2023 incident, was “relieved of his duties” Thursday, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The Camden County Sheriff’s Office is committed to transparency and accountability at every level,” Sheriff Kevin Chaney said in a statement. “Our duty is to serve the citizens of Camden County with integrity and professionalism.”

Aldridge joined the sheriff’s office in May 2018 after spending five years with the Kingsland Police Department, according to Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council records. In August 2017, he was fired from that agency after he violated policies on the use of necessary and appropriate force as well as on/off-duty conduct, records show.

During that incident, Aldridge was helping other officers with a traffic stop and was told to stay with the driver. But without warning, POST stated he took the driver to the ground while attempting to handcuff and detain the woman. Aldridge told investigators she “stiffed her arm and tried to pull it back,” records show.

The officers looked at footage from that incident, and one said he saw a “police officer being way too aggressive to start with” and that he “had no business picking her up and throwing her on the ground,” according to POST. Another said the driver was complying and felt what the deputy did was “a bit too much.”

The records did not state when and where the incident occurred. Aldridge was also given a written warning following a use-of-force policy violation in 2014.

Credit: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council

Credit: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council

POST ultimately decided not to take action and concluded its investigation into the Kingsland use-of-force incident. Aldridge was hired by the sheriff’s office a month later.

He faces up to 10 years in prison for each federal civil rights violation in the 13-count indictment and 20 years in prison for each false report. The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with the authority to uphold the law — not to break it. When that trust is violated, the FBI will act. No badge puts anyone above the Constitution,” FBI Atlanta Special Agent Paul Brown said in a statement. “We remain committed to investigating civil rights violations and holding accountable those who abuse their power.”