THE RASH OF SCANDALS CONTINUES …
By FITSNEWS || Two-and-a-half years ago we wrote a story entitled “What Is It With S.C. Sheriffs?” – an article that focused on a rash of scandals involving county lawmen in the notoriously corrupt Palmetto State.
Things have only gotten worse since then …
Obviously the biggest scandal involves longtime Lexington, S.C. sheriff James Metts – who stands accused of harboring illegal aliens. But there’s also Williamsburg County sheriff Michael L. Johnson – who was found guilty earlier this year of providing fake police reports to a Columbia, S.C. “credit repairman.”
Last spring Chesterfield County sheriff Sam Parker was indicted in the wake of an inmate labor scandal (he was convicted this spring). In June 2012, Saluda County sheriff James Booth lost his job in another inmate labor scandal (he pleaded guilty in August of that year).
In April 2012, Laurens County sheriff Ricky Chastain somehow managed to keep his job despite driving his girlfriend to an abortion clinic to kill their illegitimate child. And in Darlington County sheriff J. Wayne Byrd remains on the job despite allegations that he fired one subordinate in an effort to cover up an affair with another.
Same with Charleston sheriff Al Cannon – who was arrested in August 2012 and charged with slapping a handcuffed motorist. Cannon completed a pre-trial intervention program and kept his job.
Meanwhile in May 2012, Orangeburg County announced its intention to sue the estate of former sheriff Larry Williams – who stole a quarter of a million dollars from his office before his death in 2010.
Meanwhile in 2011, Lee County sheriff E.J. Melvin was sent to prison for his participation in a narcotics ring – receiving “dues” from drug dealers in his county in exchange for providing them with his protection.
Crazy, huh?
The latest South Carolina sheriff to land in hot water? Berekley County’s Wayne DeWitt – who was arrested for driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of a car crash near Goose Creek, S.C. early Sunday morning (December 28).
There’s an interesting story in The Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier about how a state law with medieval roots (shocker, right?) was invoked in a failed attempt to set DeWitt free, but as usual the mainstream media isn’t dishing all the relevant details.
For starters DeWitt was driving in his official government vehicle at the time of the crash – not his personal vehicle (as was initially reported). And he was accompanied in said vehicle by an as-yet-unidentified female who is also in the employ of Berkeley County taxpayers.
It’s not immediately clear whether the woman – alleged to be DeWitt’s girlfriend – is also his subordinate.
What’s more clear? The narrative of the incident.
“He hit the other car, hauled ass, but got stopped by Hanahan (S.C.) police and was arrested there,” one of our sources explained. “They took him to the Charleston County jail, where supposedly Al Cannon put him up in an administrative office until his 7:00 p.m. bond hearing. Then, the Berkeley County magistrate balked at setting bail by invoking the tired old ‘only the Coroner can arrest the Sheriff’ thing. He eventually got smart and set the bond.”
Translation? DeWitt didn’t spend a minute behind bars … and almost got his arrest swept completely under the rug.
The only website that seems to be delving into the DeWitt arrest with any real tenacity? The website Charleston Thug Life. In addition to the details mentioned above, the website reports the Sheriff “hid in his truck” from authorities and “may have resisted arrest” in connection with the incident.
Nice …
DeWitt has yet to be indicted on a crime of moral turpitude, which means Gov. Nikki Haley is not legally empowered to suspend him from office. But even if she did suspend DeWitt, he would be replaced by a chief deputy who is rumored to be every bit as corrupt – Rick Ollic.
In fact Ollic has reportedly threatened at least one local television station responsible for covering the Berkeley County Sheriff’s office – which could be one reason it’s using kid gloves to handle this story.
Sad …
South Carolina needs principled law enforcement leaders committed to upholding life, liberty and property. Judging from these stories (and the latest crime statistics), it’s abundantly clear we don’t have that.
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61 comments
I’m confused. One minute the police are the “good guys”, who we should never question and are always doing the right thing (killing unarmed children). Now they are the evil corrupt “bad guys” abusing their power. So which is it?
Libertarians are so, so confused.
I guess the fact that these law enforcement types are the elected sheriff types means they are corrupted by politics.
Nah, it’s just proof that Democracy is a farce.
Also, just because someone claims to be a Libertarian or libertarian, doesn’t mean they are.
Personally, I could give a fuck about what Librarians think.
lol…you should throw the book at them.
I’m sure most cops would like to.
Shhhhhhhhh!
They’ve got your number, bub.
Upholding the law=good; corruption=bad. Amazingly enough, these disparate qualities may occur within the same occupation, office, or even individual.
Shooting unarmed children = Good
Being held responsible = Bad
The great thing about laws is that there are so many on the books we can interpret them to mean anything. When I say “we”, I mean those in law enforcement, not you.
I can be both!
Corrupt and brutal? That all you need to be a cop these days. It certainly isn’t morals and smarts.
“……and that Folks is how they roll down in the Shire…..”
Fucking Cockroaches
“Charleston Thug Life”
LMAO!
Perfect. The police in general are nothing more than thugs in blue. So that such a site in leading the investigation into their routine corruption is as apropos as hell.
If these Sheriffs would just shoot an unarmed minority while driving their mistresses around drunk or shoot one of the illegal aliens they are harboring, then they would be heroes.
Well, the wrastlin’ Sheriff at least plays a “hero” when he’s in the ring.
lol! Who? Fuck, I can’t even keep up with all these bubbas.
Sheriff ChASSstain.
There’s a youtube out there floating around of him in Kayfabe.
I always thought he should develop a character called “The Abortionist” when he enters the ring. You know, with a bloody apron, a Mity-Vac and forceps.
Holy Shit! I’m a total mark, so I won’t bust on guy living his pro wrestling dream. He’s like the Jeff Jarrett of Lauren’s. Watched the Badge vs Boots “match”. He should totally turn. He could lead a stable of Liberals…The Abortionist would fit right up on there. Well, thanks so much for that. I’m headed back to YouTube :-)
Here’s a great one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU_hxYbriyY
Notice the use of the taxpayer’s facilities. One has to wonder if the hero’s were on duty at the time.
“Anti Social Society”
Perrrrfect….
Can you imagine if the police had steroid testing policies that resulted in suspensions what the outcome would be?
Looks like they take the steroids, but leave out the workout. Can you believe these goofs are allowed to use deadly force? Now that’s totally scary!
I’m sure Obumo is some how responsible for these sheriffs’ behavior, but I can’t connect the dots. GT? Flip? Bible Humper? Help a fellow real american out.
You left out “abortionists” and Tim Tebow haters.
I’m leaving nothing out. That secret socialist communist controls everything (except when he’s taking one of his insane amount of factions and golf outings). Maybe the evil gays destroying society with their gross marriages drove these poor souls to sin?
You are still leaving out pop culture, Kermit Gosnell, and Big T’s fantasies of me and Will in Speedos.
It sure is good that we have Hollywood Jim Matthews over here in Kershaw County. He can walk on water.
…and cops wonder why increasing numbers have little respect for them anymore.
I’m just glad they protect me from all those scary brown people I see on FoxNews.
You know, you occasionally hear some shit about a “race war” coming or something along those lines. I tell ya though, black people in poor areas are gonna start killing cops more and more, with some justification. It’s gonna be a “war” because of blowback between those two groups before any race war.
I’m just hoping to steer clear of the whole mess. I don’t want to be collateral damage. I want to be in my living room with a bag of popcorn watching everything on my flatscreen in HD.
Personally I’m expecting something along the lines of the Tulsa race riot to happen.
I’m waiting for a Columbia riot. The lawless mobs that roam William Brice could lose it with another season like this past one.
I only hear “race war” from completely clueless morons and take it accordingly. Looking at your flatscreen too much.
“Looking at your flatscreen too much.”
No such thing. I got da porn.
He should be tied to a post and every good, decent, cop in the state allowed to stone him to death, with pea gravel. After a fair trial of course.
“After a fair trial of course.”
Where do you find such things?
Probably hiding behind “most transparent administration ever”.
So, nobody will be there to throw stuff.
The ones that do their job every day get no praise or press ink. You will never know they exist until they save your ass someday. You don’t think Al Sharpton represents all Black men or all clergy do you?
The ones who look away everyday while the “bad” ones do their shit? They’re all corrupt and if you think otherwise you are clueless. Do you know any actual police? I do and it’s frightening these people were ever allowed to have a badge. The only good ones today are ones that have left the profession, because they couldn’t take the thug mentality that is required of the force today.
Will better not disparage the police. Who will he call next time he gets some mean texts?
In cases wherein a sheriff is removed from office, it’s not necessarily the Chief Deputy who assumes the office. As a matter of fact, Haley has made it her practice to appoint “placeholders” who agree not to run for the office. If Dewitt is removed (or resigns under pressure) it would be extremely unlikely that she appoints the Ollic guy, unless he pledges not to run.
Let me guess…a Republican, right? How did “family values” figure into his campaign?
Wayne DeWitt – who was arrested for driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of a car crash near Goose Creek, S.C. early Sunday morning (December 28).
TBG wagers chicken wings were involved. (FITSNEWS should run side by side mugshots of Anderson’s Wingman and Sheriff DemWitt).
And he was accompanied in said vehicle by an as-yet-unidentified female who is also in the employ of Berkeley County taxpayers.
…might have been some chicken head involved, too. Bobby Petrino on line one.
Cock-gobbling while DUI is a risky business. Risky business, indeed…
See-The World According To Garp
Owwww…I had forgotten about that. Painful to watch. The one in “Parenthood” is funnier and easier to digest (no pun intended).
I find this whole story a little hard to swallow.
Oh, damn…
Where do we dredge up these winners?
Clemson.
Sorry..Dewitt is a USC fan.
Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime of moral turpitude. see State v. Horton, 271 S.C. 413, 248 S.E.2d 263 (1978)
South Carolina courts have defined moral turpitude as “an act of baseness, vileness, or depravity in the private and social duties which a man owes to his fellow man, or to society in general, contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between a man and man.” State v. Horton,
271 S.C. 413, 414, 248 S.E.2d 263, 263 (1978).
Further, “[a]n act in which fraud is an ingredient involves moral turpitude.” Id. In determining whether a crime is one involving moral turpitude, courts focus primarily on the duty to society and fellow man that is breached by the commission of the crime.
Alex Sanders et. al., Trial Handbook for South Carolina Lawyers § 13:13 at 484 (2000).
The two most powerful officeholders in each county is: 1) The resident Senator and 2) the Sheriff. Not necessarily in that order.
Sometimes you have to admit – living in this state is just gosh darn embarrasing.
What up with Gamecock 79…a for profit LLC filed with SC Sec. of State recently? The registered agent is James Metts.
maybe when he gets to his new home he plans to set up a gift shop in the prison lobby – of course he will have illegals to man it 24/7
What beady little eyes Sheriff DeWitt, aka DimWitt, has.
Turn up the heat, file criminal complaints with DOJ in Washington, DC – and demand SC Federal prosecutor Nettle’s and all of his boys be kept out of the investigation. You get this done, you will take down the entire clique of corruption in both Berkeley and Charleston County Sheriff Departments.
Nine sheriffs indicted, arrested, or died before they could get arrested in about four years, out of only 46 sheriffs. That’s about 20% of the sheriffs in the freaking state in what amounts to a single election cycle, which *has* to be some kind of record. I wish I had the time to research that, but it would probably just depress us all anyway.
The officer needs to resign. I cannot believe the residents
of Berkeley County are not more upset about this. A civilian of
Berkeley County would still be in jail if they had committed the same offences.
They would also no longer have a driver’s
license. This is an atrocity to both the residents of Berkeley County and law
enforcement.
If you are a Berkeley County resident and feel the same way call Nicki Haley’s office and complain at 803-734-2100. The governor appoints the sheriffs in the state,
DimWitts prevail in Berkeley County SC. Secret society elitists load up their resume’s with their freemason organized crime politico level / degree, or their fraudulently purchased Bachelors degree… The point is that the electorate of SC can’t tell the difference between a 32nd (organized crime ) degree from the local good ole boy / perjury freemason whoreouse, and a fraudulently purchased BS in Fire Science degree.
Those of us aero job creating transplants who’ve been defrauded of our life savings, and then defamed to put money in DimWitt’s friends pockets, will now educate the local deceived electorate as to the definition of FRAUD / WASTE / AND ABUSE!