Video shows candidate for governor in South Carolina go on profanity-laced tirade during arrest
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Updated: 12:29 PM EDT Aug 14, 2025
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Stephanie Moore
Digital Media Manager
CHARLESTON, S.C. —
(WARNING: Video above contains profanity)
The South Carolina Democratic Party is requesting that Mullins McLeod, who announced on Monday he was running for governor of South Carolina, to suspend his campaign after video was released showing him shouting profanities and a racial slur during a May arrest.
The video from the Charleston Police Department was taken about 9:30 p.m. on May 14 after officers were called to the King Street area about a man walking along the battery screaming.
(Video above is an edited down version of the 30-minute video released- WARNING: Video contains profanities)
An incident report detailing the arrest says officers could hear the man, later identified as McLeod, from a city block away.
The incident report said, "Officers then approached the male who was observed to be wearing only his underwear and shoes and continuing to yell at the top of his lungs and move his arms frantically."
Charleston Police Department
It said officers tried to talk to McLeod, but he "began rambling incoherently."
Due to his "loud and boisterous behavior," officers said they ordered McLeod to place his hands behind his back, at which point he began yelling louder and locking out his arms, the report said.
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The report said officers were able to get McLeod into handcuffs and, while trying to identify him, the report said McLeod offered numerous fictitious names such as "Superman" and "God."
Here is one of those interactions:
Officer: "What’s your name?"
McLeod: "Doesn’t matter, my friend. Trust me, I’m one of the most just humans to ever walk."
Officer: "Okay, just human. Tell me your name."
McLeod: "I’m just human."
Officer: "Okay, well, we tried, we have all tried."
McLeod: "I’ll tell you what. You gotta give me a name. Superman sounds good. I’m Superman. You know what, John Doe is fine. I don’t give a f---. Just get these shackles off of me. You can call me whatever you want, I don’t care. Get this s--- off of me and get me out of this car. My name doesn’t matter."
According to the report, while on the way to the detention center, McLeod "continued to yell incoherently about vague historic events and people in his life" and made vague threats towards nothing in particular.
Charleston police released the more than 30-minute video that shows McLeod yelling profanities and slurs during the ride to the detention center.
Once at the detention center the report said McLeod refused to get out of the patrol car and said he wanted to sleep inside the vehicle.
Officers said in the report that McLeod's eyes were extremely bloodshot and highly dilated, and he was sweating profusely.
The report also noted that McLeod continued to ramble incoherently and at one point lashed out and kicked another prisoner.
McLeod was charged with public disorderly conduct and booked into the detention center.
The South Carolina Democratic Party Chair responded to the video with this statement:
"Mullins McLeod is a skilled attorney, a former county Democratic Party chair who worked tirelessly for our values, and a member of a proud Lowcountry family with a long tradition of public service.
"After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McLeod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor.
"We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs."
As of Thursday morning, McLeod has not commented on the video.
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