6 Tennessee officers charged in arrest of murder suspect after lengthy chase

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Six Tennessee law enforcement officers are scheduled to appear in court next week on charges including the use of excessive force while arresting a man suspected of killing his ex-girlfriend at a Memphis-area park and then leading authorities on a three-county chase, a district attorney said Tuesday.

The officers were indicted Monday on charges related to the arrest of Jackson Hopper, 27, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Ellie Young in October at Shelby Farms Park, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a news release.

Authorities said Hopper fired two shots into Young’s Jeep in a parking lot, then shot her as she lay on the ground outside the vehicle. Hopper then led authorities on a chase before he crashed in Dyer County and was arrested.

Video taken by a bystander shows officers punching Hopper after he crashed his car, news outlets reported.

Hopper is being held in jail without bond. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, said his lawyer, Leslie Ballin.

Young was a medical student who was at the park for a walk benefiting the American Cancer Society.

The officers who were charged are Zachary Antle of the Mason Police Department; Bryan Lane and Benjamin Stanifer of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office; and Matthew Lawler, Samuel Chastain and Dakota Wilkerson of the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office.

Antle, Lane, Chastain and Wilkerson have been charged with official misconduct, official oppression and assault. Stanifer and Lawler have been charged with tampering with evidence.

All six turned themselves in and were released on bond. They are scheduled to appear before a judge Feb. 18, said Dyer County District Attorney Danny Goodman.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Tipton County Sheriff Shannon Beasley said Hopper attempted to run over officers during the pursuit and drove head-on, in opposing traffic, towards innocent people. Beasley said Hopper only stopped “due to the brave actions of deputies to intentionally crash the suspect before he could kill others.”

“These men acted courageously and without hesitation or reservation, put themselves in harm’s way in the pursuit of justice while pursuing a violent, murder suspect,” Beasley said.

In a separate statement, Lauderdale County Sheriff Brian Kelley said he supports “all the officers who put their lives on the line against an impossible situation.”

“I am filled with a flood of emotions ranging from confusion to hurt, not only for the officers and department but also for the family of Ellie Young,” Kelley said.

Wilkerson’s attorney, Mark Donahoe, said he looks forward to presenting a vigorous defense in court.

“We don’t feel that Dakota has done anything inappropriate,” Donahoe said.

Jeff Ward, who represented Chastain during the investigation and expects to be hired to defend him, said the officers’ supporters were going to “fight like hell” to defend them.

Lawyers for the other four officers did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Dyer County is located north of Memphis.