LEE COUNTY, S.C. — On Thursday, a handful of inmates appeared in court, some to plead guilty and others to discuss their charges related to a deadly 2018 prison riot.
In April 2018, seven inmates were killed and more than 20 were injured at Lee Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison in Bishopville. Prosecutors say the riot started when fights broke out between rival gangs, which spread to the different housing units across the prison.
Over the past six years, the state has been working to prosecute everyone involved. On Thursday, five inmates appeared in court.
“It's a very complex case,” Special Assistant Solicitor Barney Giese shared. “One of the more complex cases I've ever dealt with in 42 years.”
Giese is working on South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) cases with other prosecutors, including SCDC Special Assistant Attorney General Margaret Scott, SCDC Paralegal Emily Cockrell and SCDC Special Assistant Attorney General Stephen Lunsford, on charges related to the 2018 riot.
“There's seven different people that died, okay, in three separate dorms,” Giese explained. “And the offenses were committed by I think at this point 48 inmates have been charged. I mean, that's just a lot. That's a lot of cases. Each case is different. Each defendant is different. Each victim is different. So that's the thing that's going to take a while because it's just that complex.”
On Thursday, five men appeared in the Lee County Courthouse. Jeffrey Samuels and Danielle Peay pled guilty to their role in the riots, accepting plea deals overseen by Judge Ferrell Cothran.
Stephen Green, Byron Taylor and David Forbes also were in court where they had hearings to discuss their cases. Next up, Green is expected back in court for a jury trial the week of April 8.
“More trials coming up,” Stirling shared about the future. “This is a long process. This is a very complex, complex case.”
SCDC Director Bryan Stirling says that’s because these seven murders happened across the prison in different locations because, as he explains, the inmates had access to contraband: cell phones.
“It's all by cell phone. And I think that's a lesson that should be taken from this,” Giese added. “The cell phone problem that they have is immense.”
Starting this past summer, Stirling says SCDC implemented a program to cut down on illegal cell phone use within the prison. In Wednesday's Ways and Means Committee meeting at the State House, Stirling said his department did not receive any money although it initially requested $21 million one time with $12 million recurring. After the committee asked for a cut, Stirling says he made several budget cut proposals, although none were accepted.
“We've proven at Lee Correctional that this [program] can work. We’ve shut off 975 phones. The cost of the phones are going up…This works. This can work in other prisons, this can work across the country. And we received zero dollars. I'm told there may be some more money on the Senate side. We're gonna start working that side. But it was sorely disappointing to learn that we received zero funding for I would say one of the largest public safety threats the citizens of South Carolina have seen,” Stirling said. “I've let the leadership know and I'm going to continue to let the leadership know that we need this money not only for prison safety, but we need it for public safety.”
Stirling says cutting down on cellphones while increasing staffing in prisons across the state is his top priority.
“We've processed now to F3 and F5, we still have some F1 left, but we actually started to move forward on three and five,” Giese detailed, referring to the systematic approach his team has taken to prosecuting defendants according to the housing units they were in. “So you know, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The next development in this case is expected in April with Green’s trial.
“If something were to happen to his case, we have other ones that we're going to call,” Giese detailed.
As for today, Stirling said it’s a step toward justice.
“The importance of prosecuting these charges is that these people are victims,” Stirling said. “They were incarcerated but they are victims and their families need justice. That's what we saw in some of the cases today and some of the pleas and ultimately that’s what we'll see.”
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