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.

Cottageville Officer Now officially Terminated

FOLLOW UP TO:

Another Plot Twist
Officer Involved Shooting Going to Feds
Gypsy Cops and Small Town Politics

Cottageville, SC

Officer Randy Price, who has been on administrative leave since May of 2011, has been officially laid off by the town of Cottageville due to budgetary constraints.  The Mayor and town council voted tonight to relieve him of his duties, cutting the police department down to 2 full time officers for this small town of approximately 800.
Mayor Margaret Steen has made it clear that his termination is not a direct result of the continuing investigation of Randy Price's shooting of former mayor Bert Reeves.

As a recap......

In the afternoon of May 16, Cottageville Police Officer Randy Price put out an officer needs assistance call on his radio.  The Police Chief was nearby and was the first to respond. Police Chief John Craddock, arrived to find that Officer Randy Price had shot and killed the town's rather controversial former mayor, Bert Reeves, with one gunshot wound to the chest. The incident happened on a short dirt road and there were no witnesses.

As with all officer involved shootings, the State Law Enforcement Division is called in to investigate the case.  SLED long ago conducted their investigation and turned their findings over to the state attorney's office.  The State Attorney in turn wrote a letter to the FBI, that read in part..."due to the unique complexities of this case....we request a federal investigation."  The FBI is still doing their thing and has no comment on the matter.

Where Randy Price will go from here is anyone's guess.  He has a history of being a "Gypsy Cop" and has been forced to leave one department after another.

In 1999, Price was fired from the McCormick Co. Sheriff's Office for unsafe driving.
In 2000, Price was terminated from the Wagener Police Dept. for Insubordination.
In 2001, he was fired from the Aiken County Sheriff's Dept for Criminal Domestic Violence.  Records indicate he was allowed to go through a pre-trial intervention program to have the charge wiped from his record.
In 2006, he was terminated from the Blackville Police Dept. for complaints of excessive force.
In 2008, he is hired by the Cottageville Police Dept.

Under relatively new regulations the SC Criminal Justice Academy initiated several years ago, all this information about a police officer is public. Every department is required to submit documentation of a police officer's reasons for separation. The Academy, in their discretion, has the ultimate authority to suspend a police officer's law enforcement certification, which could prevent them from ever working as a law enforcement officer anywhere in the state.

As for former Mayor Bert Reeves.....his past isn't so pristine either.
A former Cottageville police officer had Reeves on tape telling him his job depended on him writing more speeding tickets.
As Mayor, Reeves was once ticketed for driving 105 mph in a 55 mph zone.
He was caught again speeding excessively by a Sheriff's Deputy who let him off with a warning because he didn't want to get entangled in the politics.
Excessive speed was a factor in causing him to crash and over turn his pick up truck.  He suffered a severe head injury and was hospitalized for a period of time.  The State police were charging him with DUI, but he insists he wasn't drinking.  Blood tests later determined he tested positive for marijuana. The DUI charge was dismissed, but the stigma attached itself.
The positive drug test elicited a negative response from the citizenry of Cottageville.  Due to the intense pressure from the citizens and council, who often questioned his decision making capabilities since the severe brain injury, Reeves resigned as Mayor.
Approximately a month or so before the shooting, it is said that Reeves and Price exchanged words because Price had written a ticket to an employee of Reeves'.  Price wasn't backing down on the charge, and that pissed off Reeves. Rumors abound now, with some saying that Price was intimidating Reeves as he once told his attorney he feared for his safety.

Those that once pressured Reeves out of office have now switched sides, steadfastly believing that Reeves was murdered.  Many people wonder how and why a police officer would shoot and kill an unarmed man. The answers to those questions may never be known.

It's 4 months later and the mystery still abounds....

Another Plot Twist

Cottageville, SC -

The shooting death of former Mayor Bert Reeves by Police officer Randy Price, has developed another little quirk in its already long list of bizarre circumstances.

An Attorney by the name of Mullins McLeod who represents the former Mayor's family, had petitioned town council to put the subject of the shooting on Monday's council agenda.  The present Mayor, who is the former Mayor's Aunt, refused to do so, citing the confidentiality of personnel matters and the on-going investigation.

Small town rumors are plentiful. Residents held a rally  outside town hall before the start of the meeting.  The council meeting was a packed house with 5 police officers in attendance to maintain order.  Mr. McLeod tried a wee bit of grandstanding and was promptly reminded that it was illegal to interrupt council proceedings.  The Mayor refused to answer questions about the matter and the meeting continued with the usual town business.

The residents of the town have many questions and are even considering dissolving the police department and giving control to the local Sheriff's office.

It looks like the same people who once demanded that Bert Reeves resign as mayor because of his embarrassing antics, are now holding a rally "in his honor."  It is close to becoming a lynch mob, demanding Officer Price be held accountable NOW, without benefit of a full investigation and trial.

The investigation of this matter was started by the SC Law Enforcement Division. The local prosecutor has asked for a federal grand jury. Who knows what may or may not have been completed by SLED, since they have problems of their own. Their Chief tossed in his resignation after less than 4 years on the job...but that's another story.

This melodrama just gets more bizarre by the day.

Another Officer Involved Shooting going to the Feds?

On May 16, the sleepy, and somewhat venal little town of Cottageville, SC, famous for its ticket revenue speed trap, made headlines when Police Officer Randy Price shot and killed the former mayor on a narrow dirt road called Nut Hatch Lane.

From all accounts, the former Mayor, Bert Reeves, allegedly was unarmed at the time of the shooting and one shot to the chest took him down. No one knows what brought them face to face at that particular place and time or what may have led up to it. In fact, no one knows much of anything. As with all officer involved shootings in the state of South Carolina, it falls under the purview of SLED.

Speculation and small town gossip are running high. The present Mayor, who is also the former Mayor's Aunt, recently made a public statement to the press, "SLED has told me to remain mum on the matter until their investigation is complete." Interesting choice of words that conjured up more gossip. A recent fact was released that may or not be relevant; The present Mayor reported finding a machete on her front lawn on the day of the shooting. Law enforcement officials were still processing the crime scene when 2 officers came over to collect it. One has no idea what significance that may have on this investigation.

As I noted in a previous post, both Officer Price and former Mayor Reeves, have some heavy duty baggage that also throws an interesting twist on what is already a tantalizing little soap opera.
Somebody should write a book!


Officer Price's work history, which is on file with the SC Criminal Justice Academy, shows that he worked for 7 different law enforcement agencies since 1998.  This link will give further details. It's not pretty and it's the kind of thing that makes good cops look bad.

Mayor Reeves is not without his share of run-ins with the law. Most notably for traveling at 103 miles per hour, then pissing and moaning about getting a ticket for it.  His reckless driving habits caused him to later total his vehicle, leading to a serious head injury. The Highway Patrol charged him with DUI, but that charge was later dismissed.  His blood test results showed he was under the influence of marijuana, but not enough to establish the evidence needed under the DUI statute.  He eventually recovered from his injuries and later, he reluctantly resigned as Mayor, perhaps as a result of the vocal outcry from the citizenry. He had some domestic issues as well that prompted his wife and children to leave the family residence.
He's a colorful character, to say the least.

Then along comes another tidbit.....An attorney by the name of Peter Protopapas claims he was personal friends with the now deceased Mr. Reeves and that they had a casual discussion about Officer Price.
Protopapas asserts that Reeves told him he felt he was being harassed by Price. Oddly enough, this attorney makes this announcement to the news media only last week, admitting that he hadn't spoken with investigators yet about this information. One would think that the information may have been "privileged" under the attorney/client concept, but if he was attempting to help his friend, why would he withhold any information?
Ah, the plot thickens! 


Now it just gets even more peculiar -


The local area newspaper reports that 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."  
I don't think the word "complex" is the appropriate adjective to describe this 3 ring circus.

Finally, an attorney by the name of Mullins McLeod, is representing the late Mayor Reeves' family and he too appears to be trying this case in front of the news media. He's actually made a written request to have this incident added on to the agenda of an upcoming town council meeting.  The Mayor refused, citing personnel confidentiality. This attorney's methods are just as off beat as Protopapas'.

It seems that nothing is ever easy in the quaint little town of Cottageville.

Gypsy Cops and Small Town Politics

Two small police departments in eastern South Carolina each had an officer involved shooting within the last week.
One in a place called Eutawville, (Orangeburg County), with a population of 500, and another in Cottageville, (Colleton County), which has a population of approximately 800.

With small towns come small town budgets.That being said, it's obvious that salaries for public officials such as police officers, aren't very attractive. Most police officers would opt for a mid-size to larger department for both the salary and benefits they offer. Rural areas such as these don't have the financial capabilities to send a police officer to the academy for their state accreditation. Instead, they generally attract the less than desirable certified officers and on rare occasions, retired officers who are seeking to supplement their pensions. Most retirees have had enough politics and opt for other, less stressful places.

The term "Gypsy" is defined as a nomad or roamer. When a police officer roams from one department to another, staying at these departments for 2 years or less, a potential employer really should do their homework.

At one time, employers were reluctant to reveal anything negative about the employment of a former employee for fear of litigation. That included police officers. Some years ago, a local Charleston, SC newspaper wrote an expose on this gypsy police problem that was titled, "Tarnished Badges."

It exposed how many problem police officers were continuously hired by one department after another because they couldn't get necessary knowledge about an officer's previous work history.  As a direct result of that article, the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy supposedly made some changes so that information must be shared between departments. The Academy can, in their discretion, actually revoke the officer's certification thereby preventing that officer from ever working as a police officer in the state.  However, the system can't work properly if appropriate actions aren't taken when the symptoms start presenting themselves. It would appear that the information was passed on to the appropriate people at the Academy, but no one thought to give that envelope another push.

In the Cottageville incident, the officer involved in this shooting has quite a work history. This officer asserts that he was the 'poster child' for pissing off politicians. Take note of the information the reporter was able to obtain on Officer Price's work history.  Make your own conclusion. Now, let's take in to consideration the moron he shot and killed. He was the former mayor of that small town and he had his own checkered past. Former Mayor Bert Reeves was the quintessential small town, arrogant, back woods, laughable politician. His driving habits left a trail and once again, you can make your own conclusions. Let's just say Reeves didn't have a real big fan base.

In the Eutawville incident, there are a great many questions that need answering.  Just the information gleaned from this newspaper article alone is enough to make you say, WHAT THE FUCK?!  You really have to ask yourself why the town's one police officer, the Police Chief, is the 4th cop this little town has hired in the last year. The Chief shot and killed a former corrections officer outside of town hall. An Orangeburg county Deputy Sheriff was dispatched upon request from the Police Chief. The Deputy's incident report was a total farce. I question whether that Deputy had a supervisor or if that was just some small town ploy used to bypass the FOI request made by the local media.

As with all police officer involved shootings, the SC State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) does the investigation and then takes whatever actions may be necessary. They appear to be a bit busy this week.

I am puzzled by the ONE major factor that is missing from both these incidents. All the facts aren't in yet so I won't make any assumptions.
In fact, this latest update now combines these two stories in a similar fashion.