CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – For the first time, records obtained by WSMV identify the Clarksville police officer who released a K-9 on Darius Chappell, a 34-year-old man who died in Montgomery County Jail just days after the incident.
Cell phone video shows Chappell being bitten by the police dog for nearly a minute while laying on the ground. Records identify the officer as Steven Deering, who arrived as backup and released his dog during the arrest.
Officer’s status
Deering was placed on paid administrative leave the day after the incident for a use of force investigation, including possible violations of the city’s policies.
That leave was changed to unpaid and extended for a second week after Chappell was found unresponsive in Montgomery County Jail and died. Under the city’s normal policy for longer investigations, unpaid leave applies when a case extends beyond the original seven days…