The FBI is probing potential civil rights violations related to a video that shows Calhoun County, Ala., Sheriff Larry Amerson using manual force against a juvenile male.

The FBI has launched a preliminary investigation to “gather facts” about whether Amerson’s actions, which were recorded by a surveillance camera, were a violation of the boy’s civil rights, an FBI spokesman told The Star Friday.

The spokesman, Paul Daymond, said the FBI cannot disclose when the investigation began or what sparked it.

“In general, what triggers a civil rights investigation, that could be a newspaper article, that could be a victim coming forward, it could be a number of things,” Daymond said.

The video was first published by The Anniston Star after a source requesting anonymity gave it to the newspaper Wednesday. It shows the sheriff using physical force against a juvenile who is handcuffed and shackled in a room at the Calhoun County Jail.



Contact Anniston Star staff writer Cameron Steele at 256-235-3562.