CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ark. — Randal Worcester, a 28-year-old man from Goose Creek, South Carolina, has been acquitted of all charges just days before his trial was set to begin. The charges, including terroristic threatening, battery, and resisting arrest, stemmed from his violent arrest in August 2022 that was caught on video and went viral.
Charges Dropped and Mental Health Findings
On June 20, court documents revealed that all charges against Worcester were dropped. Despite being deemed mentally fit to stand trial, Worcester’s mental evaluation showed that he suffered from unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. However, the evaluation also concluded that he “did not have the capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law” at the time of his arrest.
Worcester had pleaded not guilty to all charges throughout the case.
The 2022 Arrest and Viral Video
The case first gained widespread attention in 2022 when a video surfaced showing Worcester’s violent arrest by Crawford County deputies and a Mulberry officer. The video, which quickly went viral on social media, depicted Worcester being beaten by the officers while being handcuffed.
In the aftermath of the video’s release, deputies Levi White and Zackary King faced criminal charges related to the incident. Both deputies pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law causing bodily injury. Levi White was sentenced to five years in federal prison, while Zackary King received a one-year sentence, followed by one year of supervised release.
White has since appealed his sentence, and the case has drawn significant public attention to police practices and accountability.
Worcester’s acquittal marks the end of a contentious legal battle, but the case continues to raise questions about police conduct and mental health issues in law enforcement encounters. The incident, which initially sparked widespread outrage, has led to accountability for the officers involved but also highlights the complexities surrounding mental health in legal cases.
