PART ONE
By Betsy Finklea
The Dillon County General Sessions court docket of pending criminal cases shows an increase in the number of cases on the docket as well as several cases that continue to age with some cases having aged to as much as three to more than eight years old as of December 30, 2014.
For nearly a year, The Dillon Herald has been monitoring the Dillon County General Sessions court docket. Upon request, we received and reviewed dockets from 1/23/2014, 5/1/2014, and 12/30/2014.
The Fourth Circuit Solicitor’s Office is primarily responsible for the prosecution of cases on this docket. The attorneys listed as part of the staff for the Dillon location on the Fourth Circuit Solicitor’s Office website are Deputy Solicitor Kernard Redmond, Assistant Solicitor Edward Lee Hayes, and Assistant Solicitor W. Shipp Daniel III. Will Rogers is the Fourth Circuit Solicitor.
According to the 1/23/2014 docket, there were 567 total pending cases. There are sometimes more than one case per defendant. Another docket from 5/1/2014 showed a total of 533 cases. The 12/30/2014 docket showed an increase in the grand total of pending cases to 734 cases, an increase of 167 cases from the docket received on 1/23/2014.
The total docket of 734 cases has 152 cases that are one year or older, approximately 21 percent of the cases on the docket. These cases cover a wide range of charges including weapons, accessory after the fact to murder, drugs, traffic, assault and battery, resisting arrest, financial transaction card fraud, burglary, arson, criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, forgery, robbery, trespassing, shoplifting, criminal sexual conduct, and various other charges.
Of these 152 cases, 76 are two years old or older. Of these 76 cases, 45 cases range in age between three and more than eight years old. According to the 12/30/14 docket, these cases include:
—Saleh Hosnee Abudayyah, weapons/point or present firearms at person, 1,421 days (3.89 years).
—Saleh Hosnee Abudayyah, weapons/sale/deliv/possession-stolen pistol, 1,421 days (3.89 years).
—Dustin J. Bethea, assault/assault and battery with intent to kill, 2,371 days (6.50 years).
—Bernadetra Campbell, FTC/Fraud, $500/less in 6 mos., cardholder, 2,034 days (5.57 years).
—Leo Conklin, burglary/ burglary (non-violent)-second degree, 2,286 days (6.26 years).
—Leo Conklin, burglary/ safecracking, 2,286 days (6.26 years).
—Leo Conklin, drugs/possession of less than one gram of meth or cocaine base, 1st offense, 2,237 days (6.12 years).
—Leo Conklin, arson/arson-2nd degree, 2,286 days (6.26 years).
—Leo Conklin, larceny/ grand, $5,000/more, 2,286 days (6.26 years).
—Samuel Covington, weapons/possession during violent crime if not also sentenced to life without parole or death, 1,657 days (4.54 years).
—Samuel Covington, drugs/manufacture, distribution, etc. ice, crank, crack cocaine-2nd offense, 1,232 days (3.38 years).
—Samuel Covington, drugs/dist., sell, purch., manuf.  crack cocaine or possession with intent to distribute near school, 1,232 days (3.38 years).
—Samuel Elon A. Covington, murder, 1,667 days (4.57 years).
—Jason Daniel Dial, burglary/burglary (non-violent)-second degree,1,362 days (3.73 years).
—Donnelle Fields, Report/ Giving false information to law enforcement, fire department or rescue department, 1,667 days (4.57 years).
—Donnelle Fields, weapons/ possession during violent crime if not also sentenced to life without parole or death, 1,667 days (4.57 years).
—Donnelle Fields, murder, 1,667 days (4.57 years).
—Lando Gaddy, Weapons/ Carry conceal weapon, not pistol, 1,216 days (3.33 years).
—Dominique Inman, Burglary/Burglary (Non-Violent)–second degree, 1,397 days (3.83 years).
—Graciano Landaverde, Sex/criminal sexual conduct—first degree, 1,173 days (3.22 years).
—Angela Locklear, assault/assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, 2,461 days (6.74 years).
—Andre Manning, assault/ assault and battery with intent to kill, 1,610 days  (4.41 years).
—Johnny Ace McCrimmon, Breach  of trust w/fraudulent  intent >$1000 < $5000, 1,778 days (4.87 years). —Shawnda McInnis, FTC/Financial Identity fraud or identity fraud, 1,950 days (5.34 years). —Shawnda McInnis,  FTC/Financial Identity fraud or identity fraud, 1,950 days (5.34 years). —Shawnda McInnis, Forgery/Forgery, value less than $5,000, 1,950 days (5.34 years). —Shawnda McInnis, Breach/Obtain sign/prop, false $1000/less, 1,950 days (5.34 years). —Shawnda McInnis, Breach/Obtain sign/prop, false $1000/less, 1,950 days (5.34 years). —Eddie McKoy, Murder/Murder, 2,695 days (7.38 years). —Eddie McKoy, Weapons/ possession during violent crime if not also sentenced to life without parole or death, 2,695 days (7.38 years). —Eddie McKoy,  Weapons/sale/deliv/possession-stolen pistol, 2,695 days (7.38 years). —Jeremy Lee McMurry,  Larceny/Petit or Simple Larceny, 1,693 days (4.64 years). —Jeremy Lee McMurry, Burglary/Burglary (Non-Violent) second degree, 1,693 days (4.64 years). —Timothy Monroe, RSG/Rec. stolen goods, >$1000 < $5000, 1,867 days (5.12 years). —Matthew Dale Moore, Assault/Assault & Battery of high & aggravated nature, 2,982 days (8.17 years). —Ronnie Q. Odom, Drugs/MP of other Sch. I, II, III with intent to distribute, 1st offense, 1,922 days (5.27 years). —William K. Page, Weapons/ possession during violent crime if not also sentenced to life without parole or death, 2,356 days (6.45 years). —William K. Page, Assault/Assault and battery with intent to kill, 2,356 days (6.45 years). —Aulona Petty, Larceny/Grand, $5,000 or more, 1,258 days (3.45 years). —Aulona  Petty, Burglary/Burglary (Non-Violent)–second degree, 1,258 days (3.45 years). —Sharon Phillips, Breach of trust w/fraud intent >$5000, 1,481 days (4.06 years).
—Lisa Ann Rouse, Breach/Obt. Sign/prop false pret. $5000 or more, 1,152 days (3.16 years).
—Ronald Shanon Rouse, Breach/Obt. Sign/prop false pret. $5000 or more, 1,152 days (3.16 years).
—Rashod Vereen, Robbery/Armed or alleged w/deadly weapon, 1,264 days (3.46 years).
—Glenn A. Wright, Sex/criminal sexual conduct–2nd degree,  1,575 days (4.32 years).       
On the total docket of 734 cases, there are 14 pending murder cases. Those defendants charged with murder who are listed on the docket include: Benjamin J. Bethea, Samuel B. Covington, Donnelle Fields, Kenneth Hunter, Jr., Juan Donshea Johnson, John Lane McMillan, III, Eddie McKoy, Mathis J. McLaughlin, Treyon J. McLellan, Devonte Deshaun McNeil, Jordan Turbeville, Damon Kendall Williams, and Jonathan R. Williamson.
Interestingly, while Samuel Covington was awaiting trial for a murder charge in 2010, he was charged in the murder of another person in 2013, according to the docket. There are 30 attempted murder cases on the total docket.
According to the Dillon County Detention Center, only three murder suspects are currently being held at the jail—Jordan Turbeville, Jonathan Williamson, and Samuel Covington.
 On the Dillon County website under departments, the Solicitor’s Office has a page where frequently asked questions are listed. One of the questions involves why it takes so long for cases to come to court. The answer given is as follows: “The Solicitor’s Office strives to move cases through the system in a timely fashion but there are factors that influence the pace of movement. There is a limited amount of court time every year. A large number of criminal defendants request jury trials. Complicated cases take more time to prepare. Cases are often delayed while important pieces of evidence are tested by State Law Enforcement Division. SLED lab technicians serve police departments all over the state. They often have a huge backlog of items to be tested.”
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PART TWO
In Tuesday’s edition, The Dillon Herald printed an article about Dillon County’s criminal court docket.  
After Tuesday’s story broke, The Herald spoke with the Solicitor’s Office who gave further insight into the numbers, and we offer this follow-up report.
Tuesday’s article listed 26 defendants whose cases are between three and nine years old.  Of those 26 defendants, 18 of them are people who have fled and are currently in a national law enforcement database as wanted fugitives, meaning a bench warrant is outstanding for their arrest.
Of the nine oldest cases detailed in the newspaper’s front-page graphic, six of them are cases where the defendants are fugitives.
According to Fourth Circuit Solicitor Will Rogers, the State cannot move these cases until the fugitives are caught by law enforcement and brought back to Dillon.
“When people don’t show up for court, a bench warrant is issued for their arrest,” said Rogers.  “Until those people are caught, there is nothing we can do with the case.  We certainly wouldn’t dismiss a serious case just because the defendant has been on the run for a long time.  We won’t give a fleeing defendant the benefit of a dismissal just because he or she is good at hiding from law enforcement.”
Assistant Solicitor Shipp Daniel noted that the oldest Dillon case, Defendant Matthew Dale Moore, has been charged with a serious crime wherein the victim is a child.
“Sure, it would help our numbers if we dismissed old cases where the defendants have fled, but that’s not fair to the victims or to our community,” Daniel explained.  “Solicitor Rogers has always been very clear that we are not to make decisions on particular cases simply to improve our statistics.”
Daniel said there is a way a defendant can be tried in his or her absence, but judges and the law strongly encourage prosecutors not to have such trials.
“It’s not perfect, but we have the best judicial system in the world, and it works best when the defendant is in the courtroom for his or her trial,” Daniel explained.  “It is our duty as prosecutors to be fair to all involved, and that is best accomplished when all parties are present.”
Recently, South Carolina Chief Justice Jean H. Toal set a benchmark that each county dispose of at least 80% of its cases within one year of the date of arrest.  Dillon County is currently at the 75% mark, which ranks it better than two-thirds of the state’s 46 counties.
When Rogers came into office in January of 2009, Dillon County’s criminal docket had 1,199 pending warrants.  
As of this week, the docket has 734 warrants pending.  That represents a decrease of 39% since Rogers has been in office.
Daniel added the docket increased last year in large part because the county had three fewer court terms than it is normally assigned.  Court Administration in Columbia designates court terms for every criminal circuit court in the state.
Daniel continued,  “With Solicitor Rogers’ lead, the Dillon County Solicitor’s Office will continue to fairly and aggressively prosecute those who commit crimes against the people of our community.”