Two Deputies to Stand Trial on Evidence Tampering
Tipton and Lauderdale County deputies Matthew Lawler and Benjamin Stanifer face June trial dates on tampering charges tied to the Jackson Hopper arrest.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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A Tennessee court has set June 17 and 18 trial dates for Tipton County Sheriff's Office deputy Matthew Lawler and Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office deputy Benjamin Stanifer, who each face one count of tampering with evidence. Their cases were severed from four other officers who were acquitted of all charges in August.
Why it matters
The case stems from the arrest of Jackson Hopper, which was captured on video showing officers allegedly using excessive force, and it reflects how accountability proceedings unfold for law enforcement officers in Tennessee. The outcome may shape how evidence-related charges against officers are handled in the state.
Matthew Lawler and Benjamin Stanifer each face one count of tampering with evidence, with a pre-trial conference set for May 4 ahead of trials on June 17 and 18. The charges were severed from four other officers acquitted in August, and the specific evidence alleged to have been tampered with has not been detailed.
The players
Matthew Lawler
A 29-year-old deputy with the Tipton County Sheriff's Office facing one count of tampering with evidence in connection with the Hopper arrest.
Benjamin Stanifer
A 30-year-old deputy with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office facing one count of tampering with evidence in connection with the Hopper arrest.
The details
The charges arise from the arrest of Jackson Hopper following a multi-county high-speed chase in October 2024, which was captured on video showing officers allegedly using excessive force. Hopper later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of 22-year-old Ellie Young and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Timeline
October 2024: Jackson Hopper is arrested following a multi-county high-speed chase.
August: Four officers are tried and acquitted on all charges in the Hopper arrest case.
May 4: A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Lawler and Stanifer.
June 17 and 18: Trials are scheduled for Lawler and Stanifer.
Legal Context
The severed trials of Lawler and Stanifer follow the August acquittals of four officers in the Hopper arrest, a pattern in which individual officers face separate proceedings for conduct tied to a single incident. The charges against a former Mason Police Department officer were expunged, adding to the mixed outcomes across the case.
Residents of Tennessee can follow how evidence tampering cases against law enforcement officers are resolved in state courts, which bears on public confidence in local policing. The June trials may clarify how accountability is applied to officers involved in high-profile arrests.
The takeaway
Accountability for officers can unfold over many months and across separate trials, so the final outcomes for each defendant may differ even when charges stem from the same incident. Readers can track the June proceedings to see how these individual cases are resolved.
What happens next
A pre-trial conference is set for May 4, and trials for Matthew Lawler and Benjamin Stanifer are scheduled for June 17 and 18.
Further reading
For more on how these officer accountability cases have unfolded, explore Law Enforcement coverage across Tennessee.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Actionnews5.
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