Career
In the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting in 2015, Chumley said he would not vote to remove the Confederate battle flag from the grounds of the South Carolina State House. In a broadcast statement on Cable News Network, he observed "These people sat in there and waited their turn to be shot, that"s sad. Somebody in there with a means of self-defense could"ve stopped this."
Surprised, Cable News Network"s Drew Griffin offered Chumley the chance to clarify or revise his words.
Chumley did not.
After widespread criticism across United States media, Chumley apologised for his words on 24 June 2015 (the
following day):
“I deeply regret using those words and giving that impression,” he said. “My view, which I was clumsily trying to express, was that it is painfully regrettable that someone was not able to intervene in this demented killer’s life to stop him right up to the moment he squeezed the trigger.”
“Please let me be clear: the responsibility for the despicable murders in Charleston rests solely on the murderer. If any of my remarks suggested differently, I am deeply sorry.”.
