Republican sheriff candidate previously sued over alleged beating of suspect

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Republican candidate for Charleston County Sheriff Greg Kitchens was once accused of beating a suspect when he worked for the department he’s now running to lead, according to court records.

In a 1997 lawsuit filed by James Singleton of Ravenel, he alleged that Kitchens had beaten him seven or eight times in the head with his duty-issued flashlight until he was bloody.

Singleton, who was a passenger in a car during a high-speed chase on Johns Island on September 2, 1995, had reportedly run a few feet when the car stopped and fell into the bushes when Kitchens ran after him ordering him to stay down. Singleton alleged he had followed orders but was beaten anyway.

He was charged with resisting arrest, assault and battery of a police officer, littering, open container and false information to police for initially providing a fake name.

Kitchens wrote in the incident report that the suspects were seen holding open beer while driving and during the chase the bottles were seen thrown out of the car. Kitchens wrote that Singleton continued to try and get up “as deputies ordered him to get down.”

An affidavit states that Singleton struck Kitchens “in the chest with his left fist.”

Lt. Chevalier “Chevy” Harris, who was off duty and working a side job in the area, heard the call over the radio about a high-speed chase in the area of Humbert and Main Roads and joined the response.

Harris made a statement during an internal investigation that he saw Kitchens “repeatedly striking the black male in the area of the back of his head” and “before each strike, he would scream “lay down” to Singleton who was on his knees “not struggling.”

Harris noted that he told him to stop, and then “forcibly knocked the deputy to the ground” and helped to arrest Singleton who he noted had difficulty getting up because he was dizzy.

He wrote that Kitchens later approached him and tapped him on the chest with the bloody flashlight saying, ‘That was some s**t in the woods.’ Harris punched Kitchens in the face “without thinking” twice. Harris was later exonerated of the use of excessive force.

The lawsuit was eventually settled in 1999 for an unknown amount and was dismissed.

“Any good cop gets into a lawsuit. Law enforcement does involve a good bit of unfortunate violence. Some people do not want to go to jail. And some things get blown out of proportion. Some people sue when they don’t really have a case,” Kitchens said when asked about the lawsuit.

“That was settled out of court for a small amount to make it go away. I was exonerated. I was not punished at all. I think that says for itself that somebody’s trying to dig it up and turn it into something it’s not,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens voluntarily resigned from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office in 1998. Records show he hasn’t worked in South Carolina law enforcement since.

In his separation paperwork, a supervisor checked off a box that he would be eligible for rehire.

His resume following his split from the department, according to his website, includes a variety of assignments within the United States Marines where he eventually became a colonel.

Kitchens joined the reserves in 1980.

“It’s important to very carefully look at evidence, testimony and everything else before we rush into a decision. Mob decisions on justice is not the American way and as your sheriff, I will make sure my deputies always get a fair shake,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens won the primary race on Tuesday to be the Republican candidate in the race for Charleston County Sheriff by 3% but did not secure more than 50% of the total vote, leading to a runoff election.

The front runner will face former Mount Pleasant police chief Carl Ritchie again, who came in second place, on June 25 with early voting to take place Wednesday through Friday.

Kitchens also has raised more than $100,000 for his campaign, more than any other candidate so far. On Friday, North Charleston Police Department Capt. Rick Keys, who also ran for sheriff, endorsed Kitchens.

Meanwhile, Ritchie has been named in a few lawsuits, but never based on direct actions, only as his role as leader of other officers accused of wrongdoing.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story implied that Kitchens did not join the Marine Corps until after leaving the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office but he had been in the reserves since 1980 and had been on a few active duty assignments.

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