Feds Dragging their Feet

Does the title of this story come as a surprise to you? It's what the feds do best.

Let's revisit previous blog entries concerning these small, sleepy little towns known as
Cottageville, SC and Eutawville, SC

From newest to oldest, the blog entries I refer to are;

Cottageville Officer Officially Terminated
Another Plot Twist
Another Officer Involved Shooting Going to the Feds
Officer Involved Shooting Brings Feds
Gypsy Cops and Small Town Politics


Around the middle of last year they both experienced officer involved shootings perpetrated by officers known as "gypsy cops."
The definition of a "gypsy cop" is basically an itinerant law officer who floats from one department to another, usually after short terms of employment. The officer's employment history is sometimes peppered with accusations and complaints that probably resulted in a 'resignation' or a termination that didn't warrant the revocation of their certification. Quite often, these gypsy cops wind up at small departments that have small budgets and salaries to match. Small towns normally can't afford to pay to put an officer through the mandatory training/academy so find themselves as a magnet for the gypsies.

Off. Randy Price and former Mayor Bert Reeves

The shooting in Cottageville, SC has many layers of controversy. A gypsy cop by the name of Randy Price fatally shot the former town mayor while they were on an isolated dirt road. No one knows why they were there and what transpired. There were no witnesses. The former mayor had a history of driving violations with one reckless driving incident almost costing him his life due to a traumatic brain injury. Blood tests revealed that he was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident. Reeves was involved in a highly publicized domestic dispute, with his wife obtaining a restraining order.  He was also noted for being caught on tape telling officers to write more tickets to ensure their own salary. Reeves took pride in the fact that his little town was known for being a speed trap.
Officer Randy Price had 8 law enforcement jobs in 11 years. This article details his work history.
Some of Price's employment history also plays out like a serial drama.

As with all officer involved shootings in SC, they are investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division. (SLED) Once their investigation was concluded, SLED turned it over to the state's chief prosecutor.

The chief prosecutor for the 14th judicial circuit, Duffie Stone, has written a letter to US Attorney Bill Nettles asking for a federal grand jury.  Stone's letter read in part, “Due to the complex nature of this investigation I am asking that your office use the investigative abilities of the federal grand jury to assume the investigation and prosecution of this matter."  

That's where it was left.

And now, rumors are swirling around in this small town. The present mayor of Cottageville is the former mayor's aunt. It is reported that she sent an email to other council members that she had received a "verbal" report from SLED that the investigation was over and that Randy Price would be exonerated of all charges. SLED states that no such thing has happened and that the investigation is still under review by the feds.
The feds have released no information whatsoever on a case that's been pending for about 8 months.

Over to Eutawville, SC

In May 2011, the former police chief, Ricky Combs, shot and killed retired corrections officer, Bernard Bailey outside of town hall, allegedly in a dispute over a traffic ticket written to his daughter. This case had some racial implications because the police chief is white and Bailey is black. The family called for patience and were reluctant to call it any kind of racially motivated issue. Although the NAACP and 500 others were ready to call it that.
This case was also investigated by SLED and then suddenly, the Dept. of Justice picked up the ball, essentially bypassing the state's prosecutor.

In November, the mayor of Eutawville announced a new police chief had been hired for the town. The details of Ricky Combs' departure have never been released. He too, had a history of being a nomad cop. Although his was not as extensive as Randy Price's.

So when will the feds get off their asses and make a decision on these cases?  I'm willing to bet that the feds will release their findings about the time the snow melts in Alaska.