I have no words.

Via South Knox Bubba, this travesty reported in the Knox News:

They launched the attack with a stunningly simple message.

“It’s (expletive) over, son.”

For two hours, authorities say, that message would be pounded into Lester Eugene Siler’s head and body, reinforced with the barrel of a gun and echoed in threats of electrocution.

Handcuffed and surrounded, Siler was now a prisoner of the war on drugs in Campbell County.

Seven months later, five former Campbell County Sheriff’s Department lawmen are poised to plead guilty to federal charges they conspired to violate Siler’s civil rights by beating, threatening and torturing him. …

In those documents, Atchley details a plot by the former lawmen to force Siler to put his signature on a form they could use in court as proof the convicted drug dealer agreed to let them search his home in the White Oak community in search of drugs and money.

Atchley lists in the documents disturbing examples of the lengths he alleges these former lawmen were willing to go: threats to electrocute Siler, drown him and break his fingers, beatings and gunplay.

Siler’s wife happened to turn on a tape recorder at the beginning of the confrontation and captured 40-45 minutes of the actual atrocities. Here’s a sample:

“Just sign it,” Monday orders Siler.

Siler refuses.

“Git (sic) up,” Monday responds. “Git (sic) up. I said get the (expletive) up.”

Beating sounds follow.

“Now git (sic) up, (expletive) it,” Monday says.

Siler responds, “Oh, alright.”

“No, git (sic) the (expletive) up,” Monday says again.

“Let me ask David (Webber) something first,” Siler pleads.

“Look, you sign this (expletive) or I’m gonna hit you again,” Monday says. “One. Two.”

Slaps and blows are again documented on the transcript, with Monday continuing to order Siler to sign.

By now, Siler is crying.

Threats come next. The lawmen tell Siler they will jail his wife and have his children taken away from him. The transcript details more beating sounds, more moaning from Siler, who repeatedly asks to talk to Webber.

“You ain’t talking to nobody,” Green responds. “You’re gonna sign this (expletive) paper.”

Siler screams. More blows are heard. The lawmen continue to order Siler to sign. He responds with moans and more screams. But there would be no reprieve.

“Eugene, it’s just beginning, buddy,” Webber says.

Siler is going to die, the officers tell him.

“I want to help you,” Siler says.

Webber responds, “No, I don’t want your help. I want you to sign that form ’cause you’re the one we want and we got ‘cha (sic), and if you don’t sign it, you probably won’t walk out of here.”

Siler is next threatened with electrocution. Webber tells him that they could take a battery charger, hook some wires to it and attach it to Siler’s testicles. The federal informations allege that the lawmen later rigged up such a device and used clamps to attach it to Siler’s body.

There’s much more. The entire article is a bombshell.
The war on drugs. This time, it was taped.