‘Let Me Out!’: Attorney Who Represented Victims of Racist Shooting at Historic Black Church Shouts Racial Slurs During Chaotic Shirtless Arrest Caught on Dashcam Video
A prominent South Carolina attorney turned gubernatorial candidate who represented the families of victims who were murdered in a racist mass shooting at a historic Black church was caught on police dashcam footage shouting racial slurs and slandering his political rivals during an arrest in May. The footage shows William “Mullins” McLeod, who is running a Democratic campaign for South Carolina governor, in the back of a police car, shirtless, handcuffed, and yelling incoherent statements during his transport to a local jail. At 9:30 p.m. on May 14, Charleston police officers found 53-year-old McLeod randomly sitting on a sidewalk in just his underwear and shoes and “yelling at the top of his lungs." He was quickly detained on a disorderly conduct charge. Gubernatorial candidate William “Mullins” McLeod lashes out during his arrest in May 2025. (Photos: YouTube screenshot/NBC News) In the dashcam video obtained by The Post and Courier and TMZ, McLeod refuses to tell cops his real name, saying they can identify him as "human," or "Superman." On the drive to jail, he shouts, "McLeod for governor!" followed by a series of expletives and insults aimed at current or former politicians. He mentions current South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, former Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, President Donald Trump, former President Barack Obama, and former South Carolina lawmaker and CNN commentator Bakari Sellers. Privilege on Full Display: Rhode Island Prosecutor Screams ‘I’m an AG!’ Nearly a Dozen Times While Threatening Cop During Drunken Arrest Caught on Video McLeod makes favorable comments about Obama and Sellers, calling Sellers his friend and describing him as someone who can "kick (people) in the gums." But he reserves more derogatory remarks for GOP political figures like Trump, whom he calls a "racist a**." He also calls Nikki Haley and Nancy Mace the b-word multiple times. He's also heard using the N-word, calling a man, "my f***ing (n-word)." At one point, he's heard preaching about how democracies should be “fair, just and equitable,” and should amplify the voices and interests of all its citizens, regardless of their status or wealth. When McLeod finally arrives at the jail, an officer tries to escort him out of the vehicle, but McLeod protests. “I’m not getting out of this car, I’m not doing it, because it’s time to go to bed. It’s fine, let me out,” McLeod says. When the officer asks him if he’s going to “act like an adult” and exit the car, McLeod replies, “No, I’ll sleep here.” In the end, the officer helps him out of the car as McLeod continues yelling. McLeod announced his intention to run for South Carolina governor earlier this month. Candidacy filing does not begin until March 2026, but he is the only Democrat to launch a bid so far. In an interview with The Post and Courier on Aug. 11, he called his May arrest "unlawful," but withheld details on what parts of the detainment were illegal. In the police report, arresting officers noted that his eyes were "extremely bloodshot and highly dilated" and he was sweating profusely — symptoms that are consistent with drug use. It's unclear whether he received a drug test. McLeod's attorney maintained that no drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident and that McLeod's episode stemmed from his mental health and exhaustion earlier this year. McLeod's national reputation swelled after he represented the families of three victims at Emanuel AME Church who were murdered by white supremacist Dylann Roof in 2015. He also litigated the lawsuits brought by the families and survivors of the shooting that led to a historic $88 million settlement with the federal government, which was one of the most substantial civil rights settlements in the U.S. McLeod also represented the family of a man who died in October 2019 after he was restrained by police officers in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and injected with ketamine by county paramedics. Charleston County paid $1.1 million to settle the case after Mount Pleasant settled the wrongful death claims for $3 million.
