COLUMBIA — Two Columbia police officers face charges of misconduct in office after they were accused of using excessive force when arresting a University of South Carolina football player this spring.

The (Columbia) State newspaper said in a story on its Web site Friday that Roger Gilland and David Beddingfield Jr. were indicted this week. The charges stem from their arrest of Gamecocks offensive lineman Kevin Young on March 2.

Young’s attorney, Neal Lourie of Columbia, said chief Richland County prosecutor Barney Giese told him about the indictments Friday afternoon.

Young initially was charged with fighting and resisting arrest in connection with a fight at a nightclub near campus March 2, but those charges were dropped later that month. Columbia city manager Charles Austin asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate whether officers had used excessive force.

Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier had said that Young and other witnesses claimed police hit the player several times during the encounter.

Lourie said his client plans to attend a bond hearing for the officers scheduled for Tuesday morning at the Richland County Courthouse.

The State reported that an attorney for Beddingfield said his client denies the allegations, but the paper did not identify the attorney.

Gilland’s attorney, Leigh Leventis, told The Greenville News that his client didn’t do anything wrong.

“I honestly feel he will be vindicated,” Leventis said.

There was no answer at a listing for Gilland and a listing for Beddingfield could not be found. City of Columbia spokesman Brick Lewis said he knew nothing about the indictments.

If convicted, the officers could face a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and one year in prison.

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