With Hurricane Florence barreling towards the coast of the Carolinas, residents in multiple counties have been urged to evacuate either out of town or to emergency shelters. But what about safety at shelters? ABC News asked the American Red Cross if sex offenders were allowed to stay at shelters with others residents. Full Article Related links: VERIFY: Yes, sex offenders can stay at public shelters during Florence in NC [wcnc.com – 9/15/18]
Read MoreTag: South Carolina
SC: Charleston sheriff unplugs mugshot websites
postandcourier.com – 5/26/18] Once upon a time, we named and shamed by putting the accused in stocks on the town square. Now we put them on the internet. I am omitting the names because it is impossible to sort the innocent from the guilty. “South Carolina Hottie Bookings,” on a website called Arrests.org, isn’t troubled by such details. On this one website, there are mugshots of 1,000 women arrested in South Carolina over the past two years, many on nothing-burger charges. Mind you, not one of them was convicted of…
Read MoreSC: Sheriff’s office assistant stole money from sex offenders, SLED says
[wyff4.com 5/4/18] KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. (WIS contributed to this article) — A 34-year-old woman is accused of stealing money collected from registered sex offenders while she was assistant to a South Carolina sheriff, according to an arrest warrant. The State Law Enforcement Division arrested Samantha West Connell, of Kershaw County, on a charge of embezzlement of public funds, value less than $10,000. Advertisement SLED agents said the thefts were committed between January 2015 and April 2016, while Connell was employed as an administrative assistant at the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.…
Read MoreSC: ‘Skinhead’ said God told him to kill sex offenders, wanted conviction tossed out
An unapologetic white supremacist serving three life sentences for killing two people in 2013 was denied a new trial Friday. He claimed God told him to kill sex offenders. Jeremy Moody, 34, of Union County, pleaded guilty in May 2014 to two counts of murder, burglary, kidnapping and other charges. He later filed a post conviction relief lawsuit claiming his court-appointed lawyers should have done more in the case to explore his mental illness. Moody asked for the convictions to be tossed out. Full Article
Read MoreSC: Teens can be kept on sex-offender registry for life
South Carolina can continue to require some teens convicted of serious sex crimes to appear on the state’s public sex-offender registry and wear an electronic monitor for the rest of their lives, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. A boy from Spartanburg County who was 15 when he sexually assaulted a 5-year-old boy and ended up on the registry challenged the law. Full Article
Read MoreSC: Bill would prevent registered sex offenders from owning locksmith businesses
A bill that would require locksmiths to undergo background checks before entering your home or car is now closer to becoming law. The bill was passed unanimously in the South Carolina State House of Representatives and is now making its way through the state Senate. The bill was drafted after a North Myrtle Beach sexual molestation case involving a locksmith. Full Article
Read MoreSC: Sex Offender on Oxygen Forced to Move into Tent in Woods Because of Insane Residency Restrictions
_____ ____ ____ has severe respiratory problems and is supposed to spend eight hours a day on oxygen. Unfortunately, he has just been forced to move into a tent in the woods, in the middle of winter in South Carolina. He is only allowed to be at home for 6 hours a day, max, or he could be arrested. Full Article
Read MoreSC: Issues arise with South Carolina sex offender registry
Victims of sexual assault and anyone else who monitors South Carolina’s sex offender registry may be viewing false information, The Greenville News found during a review of the state’s sex offender registry. Full Article
Read MoreSC: Columbia lawmaker pushes for juvenile sex offender registry reform
COLUMBIA — A South Carolina lawmaker is on a mission to change the way the state treats juvenile sex offenders. House Minority Leader Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, has introduced a bill that would allow teens who have been convicted of any sex offense and have been placed on the offenders registry to petition the courts to remove their names once they turn 21. … “By branding them that early, we have destroyed their lives,” he said. “We’ve got to figure out how to make it better.” He isn’t alone in…
Read MoreSC: Public university required students to submit sexual history or face disciplinary action
Clemson University is requiring students to reveal how many times they’ve had sex in the past month and with how many partners. In screenshots obtained exclusively by Campus Reform, the South Carolina university is asking students invasive and personal questions about their drinking habits and sex life as part of what they’ve billed as an online Title IX training course. Full Article
Read MoreSC: Jindal attacks Sheheen for defending sex offender
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal criticized Gov. Nikki Haley’s opponent on Friday during a South Carolina appearance, taking issue with him for serving as defense attorney for a sex offender. Jindal said South Carolina voters have a clear choice for governor this year. The first, he said is his friend, Haley, whom he characterized as the successful governor of a state with the fastest growing economy on the east coast. “On the other side they have a trial attorney who has made money from defending those who were convicted…
Read MoreSC: Sex offender’s killers kiss after verdict, would have ‘killed more’
UNION, S.C. —A man and his wife pleaded guilty to shooting and killing a registered sex offender and his wife and kissed in court after they were sentenced Tuesday. Full Article
Read More