Stephen G. Morrison, an attorney at Nelson Mullins and former candidate for mayor of Columbia, S.C., died in New York City this morning, sources tell FITS.
He was reportedly in the “Big Apple” on business.
Morrison – the subject of the S.C. Supreme Court’s famous “In Re: Anonymous” memo on lawyer conduct – finished third to Steve Benjamin and future S.C. Rep. Kirkman Finlay in the 2010 Columbia mayor’s race, garnering 29 percent of the vote.
A hard-core liberal, he helped lead a school funding lawsuit brought against the state by its rural districts – who are (like their urban counterparts) sitting on wads of unspent cash. He was also a big supporter of government funding for the arts.
Obviously we have very little in common ideologically with Morrison – and the firm he represented is among the arch enemies of reform in South Carolina. Having said that, we wish his family the best in their time of grief.
7 comments
I appreciate that Morrison was a good provider to his family and more than likely a pretty good husband and father. He was also practicing law only through his unethical connections to Jean Toal through Nelson Mullins. He lied through his teeth to Federal judges and got caught – then with Toal’s help – pinned it on someone else. Again, my best to his widow – and again – Toal got away with another one.
“He lied through his teeth to Federal judges and got caught – then with Toal’s help – pinned it on someone else”
—— any details about this statement?
Many in the South Carolina liberal establishment are extolling his efforts on behalf of the students in our infamous “Corridor of Shame”. What they are missing is the fact that his legal entanglements have actually retarded meaningful changes and improvements for the region.
Stephen “Steve” Morrison, 64, a partner with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough in Columbia, became ill and passed away unexpectedly sometime overnight Saturday, said Jim Lehman, the firm’s managing partner.
Morrison was in New York for a Spoleto board meeting, but did not attend, said Ed Sellers, a fellow Spoleto board member, and current chairman and former CEO of BlueCross BlueShield
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2013/10/27/3062815/prominent-columbia-attorney-and.html#storylink=cpy
Information on the cause of death for the 64-year-old is not yet available.
A lawyer dies and it makes front page news in The State. Sorry, but my Give-a-Fuck meter isn’t registering on this news.
Steve was an incredible man whose leadership at his church, his law firm and at many other local and national organizations is deeply appreciated by folks around the country. He raised the bar for so many people in so many ways. It takes a very small person to overlook all the many things he has led and supported around Columbia-public and private education, the arts, the United Way and on and on and on-and to remember an allegation. To then take that allegation and resurrect it in print immediately following this loss is so beyond the pale of decency it boggles the mind. The good news is no one but these few like-minded petty folks who’ve piled on with you here will remember him as anything other than a caring and brilliant man.