No Criminal Charges for Georgia Deputy in Fatal Shooting of Exonerated Man; Family Files Lawsuit

The Georgia district attorney’s office has announced that Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge, a Camden County sheriff’s deputy, will not face criminal charges in the fatal shooting of Leonard Cure, a 53-year-old man who was exonerated for a crime he did not commit just three years prior. The decision follows a review of body camera footage from the October 2023 traffic stop that escalated into a violent confrontation, ultimately resulting in Cure’s death.

District Attorney Keith Higgins stated that the body camera footage indicated that Aldridge deployed a Taser on Cure after he refused to comply with instructions to place his hands behind his back for handcuffing. According to Higgins, Cure then physically resisted, placing his hand on the deputy’s throat. This prompted Aldridge to discharge his firearm at close range.

"Use of deadly force at that point was objectively reasonable given that he was being overpowered at that time," Higgins told The Associated Press, explaining his rationale for not pursuing criminal charges. He further stated that he had informed Cure’s family of his decision during a meeting and had also notified Aldridge.

However, attorneys representing Cure’s family have vehemently condemned the decision, asserting that Aldridge used excessive force and that the outcome represents a profound miscarriage of justice. Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, the family’s legal representatives, issued a statement declaring, "This decision is a devastating failure of justice, sending the message that law enforcement officers can take a life without consequence."

The case has ignited widespread outrage and intensified scrutiny of Aldridge’s history and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office’s hiring practices. Cure’s relatives have attributed his resistance to the psychological trauma stemming from his wrongful conviction and 16-year imprisonment in Florida for an armed robbery he did not commit. This traumatic experience, they argue, significantly impacted his behavior and response during the traffic stop.

Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, Cure’s family’s legal team has emphasized Aldridge’s prior termination from the Kingsland Police Department in 2017 due to a history of excessive force. According to personnel records, Aldridge was on his third disciplinary action for using excessive force at the time of his dismissal. Despite this history, he was hired by the Camden County Sheriff’s Office just nine months later.

Further fueling concerns about Aldridge’s conduct, video footage from a June 2022 pursuit surfaced, revealing Aldridge punching a driver who was lying on his back while extracting him from a wrecked vehicle. Notably, this incident did not result in any disciplinary action against the deputy.

In response to Cure’s death, his family has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Aldridge and then-Sheriff Jim Proctor, seeking $16 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges excessive force on the part of Aldridge and accuses Proctor of negligence in hiring and retaining a deputy with a known history of violence. The case is currently pending in U.S. District Court.

The family’s lawsuit underscores the broader issues at play, including police accountability, the consequences of wrongful convictions, and the psychological impact of incarceration on individuals. It also raises critical questions about the hiring practices of law enforcement agencies and the potential risks associated with employing officers with a documented history of excessive force.

The absence of criminal charges against Aldridge is likely to fuel further debate and calls for systemic reform within law enforcement agencies. Activists and community leaders are expected to continue advocating for greater transparency, accountability, and independent oversight of police conduct. The Cure family’s pursuit of justice through the civil lawsuit highlights their determination to hold those responsible for his death accountable and to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. The outcome of this case will undoubtedly have significant implications for police practices and community relations in Camden County and beyond. The details surrounding Aldridge’s previous disciplinary actions and the circumstances of his hiring by the Camden County Sheriff’s Office will likely be central to the legal proceedings. The court will need to determine whether the sheriff’s office adequately vetted Aldridge and whether his history of using excessive force should have precluded his employment.