Go to main navigation
802 Coleman Blvd., Suite 200, Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 29464

Author Archives: J. Brooks Davis

Reckless police

On Mother’s Day a Charleston County Sheriff’s Deputy ran a stop sign going 73 mph enroute to assist another officer with a disabled motorist. The deputy caused the deaths of three innocent people. Killed in the collision were a mother and her two daughters. On Tuesday a North Charleston police officer ran through a red… Read More »

Unruly woman on American flight to Charlotte duct-taped to seat, hit with largest FAA fine

Hannah Smoot Tue, April 12, 2022 A woman who was duct-taped to her seat on an American Airlines flight to Charlotte in July has been fined $81,950 by the Federal Aviation Administration — the administration’s largest fine to date. The woman was flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte on an overnight flight that landed in… Read More »

Review of race in Charleston County prosecutions raises questions

BY GRACE BEAHM ALFORD, THE POST AND COURIER It’s a disturbing number that no one can feel good about, regardless of the cause: Black men make up only 12% of Charleston County’s population but 53% of the people prosecuted in state criminal court. It either means that black men commit a lot more crime than white… Read More »

At least 2 dead in California plane crash that burned homes

JULIE WATSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTEE, Calif. (AP) — A small plane crashed in a densely populated San Diego suburb Monday, killing at least two people, including a UPS driver. At least two others were injured. Witnesses described an elderly couple being rescued from one of two homes that were destroyed in Santee, a largely residential suburb… Read More »

Suit alleges Dorchester deputy assaulted teen

BY JOCELYN GRZESZCZAK, THE POST AND COURIER A lawsuit filed against the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office accused one of its deputies of unlawfully assaulting and arresting a 19-year-old man in April. Charleston attorney Jerry Meehan filed suit Sept. 8 on behalf of his client, Jamel Floyd. The eight-page document named Dorchester Sheriff L.C. Knight and Deputy… Read More »

Can a police officer legally order me to exit my vehicle?

This is a question that is often asked, especially with the popularity of the “First Amendment auditors”. The answer is yes. The Supreme Court of the United States held in Maryland v. Wilson, 519 U.S. 408 (1997) that a law enforcement officer may order all occupants of a vehicle to exit the vehicle pending completion… Read More »

Experts: History of excessive force at jail

BY STEVE GARRISON, THE POST AND COURIER NORTH CHARLESTON — The Charleston County jail’s Special Operations Group used unnecessary force on inmates for years before Jamal Sutherland’s death in January, according to an analysis conducted for The Post and Courier. Members of the jail’s tactical team used Tasers and pepper spray to subdue inmates, including those… Read More »

New ethics rules adopted for SC prosecutors

By Steve Garrison, The Post and Courier Defendants wrongfully convicted of a crime in South Carolina have an unexpected new ally: prosecutors. Under changes made last week to the S.C. Rules of Professional Conduct, prosecutors are required to disclose evidence of innocence discovered after a defendant is convicted of a crime. South Carolina joins about two… Read More »

Attorneys, activists allege excessive force by North Charleston police

By Steve Garrison, The Post and Courier A 42-year-old man is suing the city on allegations a police officer used excessive force by tackling him during a traffic stop last month, causing severe injuries. Brian Mickelsen, an attorney for Darian Meggett, said in an Aug. 3 news conference that a North Charleston police officer stopped his… Read More »

The civil side of excessive force

By J. Brooks Davis, Attorney Recently the Solicitor for the Ninth Circuit, Scarlett Wilson, determined there wasn’t enough cause to criminally charge the correctional officers responsible for Jamal Sutherland’s death at the Charleston County Detention Center. An investigation found that while “clear negligence” by the correctional officers was a factor in Sutherland’s death, there was… Read More »