Lawsuit: Drug charge held to dissuade co-operation in probe

SENECA, S.C. – A South Carolina woman has accused police of holding onto a drug charge against her, hoping to intimidate her not to co-operate with an investigation into a police shooting that killed a teenager two years ago.

The Independent Mail of Anderson reports a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Tori Morton in federal court last month. The lawsuit says marijuana charges against Morton have lingered in order to be used as leverage to discourage her from helping with a federal investigation into 19-year-old Zachary Hammond’s death.

Morton was in Hammond’s car as he was shot while driving off during a 2015 drug sting. Seneca police Lt. Mark Tiller said Hammond was trying to run him down. Tiller was never charged, but was fired last September.

Morton is seeking unspecified damages.

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Information from: Anderson Independent-Mail, http://www.andersonsc.com