Criminal justice
Attorneys recall chaos, bloodshed of Lee County prison riot at trial of inmate
BISHOPVILLE — Five years after violence erupted at the Lee County prison, a jury will have to decide whether an inmate accused of helping stab a fellow prisoner to death acted in self defense or gang retaliation. The trial, which began Monday in Lee County, marks the first for the 47 inmates indicted in the […]
U.S. senator from Maine proposes limiting high-capacity ammunition devices
U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine, an independent, introduced legislation Thursday that is designed to curb mass shootings while protecting Second Amendment rights of those who own a firearm for self-defense or sport, such as hunting. According to a press release from King’s office, the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion, or GOSAFE, Act establishes a list […]
High fees, long waits cast shadow over new criminal expungement laws
More states are making it easier for residents to clear or seal their criminal records. The effort has drawn bipartisan support, as lawmakers across the political spectrum say it will help people find jobs and housing, in turn boosting local economies and reducing reliance on social services. “Folks that get out of jail or prison […]
Prison officials seek $34 million to shut off SC inmates’ illegal cellphones
COLUMBIA — After state investigators discovered an inmate using a contraband phone to instruct his girlfriend to molest her toddler, some of the state’s top law enforcement officials are again calling for millions of dollars to hunt down cellphones in the prison system. Department of Corrections officials are asking legislators for $34 million to install […]
Look up! Traffic enforcement takes to the skies in SC for holiday travel
COLUMBIA — Planes will fly over South Carolina’s interstates to help troopers enforce traffic laws during the Thanksgiving holiday’s busy travel days. The planes will patrol the state’s highways Wednesday — when people are typically driving to their Thanksgiving destinations — and Sunday, when many are driving back home. Because of the number of people […]
Prosecutors want changes in how the SC Legislature selects judges
COLUMBIA — Legislators have too much power over South Carolina’s judges, allowing for decisions that erode the public’s trust in decisions from the bench, some of the state’s chief prosecutors told a legislative panel studying potential changes. Prosecutors reiterated their call Tuesday to let the governor appoint the people who decide which judicial candidates advance […]
Anderson man convicted of 5 charges related to Jan. 6 storming of Capitol
A Washington, D.C., jury convicted a South Carolina man on five charges related to his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol. Derek Cooper Gunby, 43, of Anderson, was found guilty this week of one felony — obstruction of an official proceeding — and four misdemeanors: disorderly conduct in a restricted […]
SC women’s prison to grow lettuce in recycled shipping containers
COLUMBIA — A women’s prison in Columbia could soon grow 48,000 pounds of lettuce yearly in a farming operation touted as the first of its kind in the country. The $1.2 million project will both reduce prison cafeteria costs and provide inmates skills for farming jobs after they’re released, according to the state Department of […]