‘Outright inhumane,’ attorney Ben Crump says of Shelby police beating
The woman who was punched by a former Shelby police officer walked into a local church Tuesday morning with civil rights attorney Ben Crump to applause from full pews.
“Justice for Cherrie,” Crump said, leading the crowd in a chant.
Cherrie Moore, 33, retained Crump as an attorney following her arrest by then-officer Karson Hyder, who was fired by the department and charged with assault.
Members of the crowd yelled that they loved Moore.
“The champ is here,” another person yelled. The crowd clapped and cheered as Crump commented on the assault, which was captured on doorbell camera, at a press conference Tuesday morning at the church.
Crump said he wondered what the police narrative would have been if the assault hadn’t been caught on video. He said he called for criminal charges against Hyder after he was retained.
Medical records said Moore suffered a fractured nose, Crump said.
“She has mental health issues, and that’s not a crime,” Crump said. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the attorney said. Moore is suffering from PTSD, he said.
Located in the middle of Cleveland County, Shelby has a population of just over 20,000 people. The small city is surrounded by rural communities. Moore, a Shelby native, was assaulted just after 8 a.m. outside a home on Booker Street.
The video appeared to show Hyder pulling Moore down to the ground and punching her before a second officer pulled Moore away and handcuffed her.
The crowd counted in unison to 10, the number of times Crump said she was punched. A picture was displayed near Crump, showing the extent of Moore’s facial injuries.
“It was just outright inhumane,” Crump said.
At a news conference Friday, Shelby Police Chief Brad Fraser said Hyder’s actions were “distrubing and inappropriate.”
“A second officer can be seen intervening to stop those actions,” Fraser said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 11:50 AM.
