By Emily Huigens
Independent-Mail
January 5, 2004

CALHOUN FALLS — Police Chief T. "Billy" Haynie was fired over the weekend, Calhoun Falls Mayor Johnnie Waller announced Monday.

The termination of the 30-year police veteran came less than a week after the State Law Enforcement Division released details of its investigation into whether the 66-year-old chief sexually assaulted Frances Lewis, a 68-year-old police officer’s widow, in October 2002.

SLED’s evidence included sworn statements by Town Administrator Deborah Parks claiming she had been continually harassed by the chief and a statement from town resident Patricia Wells, alleging the chief tried to grope her when she was working as an assistant manager at a convenience store.

Mayor Waller was out of town and said he did not have time to answer questions Monday afternoon, but a written statement from the mayor’s office said that upon the advice of town attorney William Foster, Mayor Waller and the Town Council had asked for the chief’s resignation last week.

They gave him a 5 p.m. Friday deadline and when the chief did not resign, he was terminated.

The mayor would not comment Friday about what decision he and the council had made about Mr. Haynie, saying only that he had been trying to reach the chief by phone and radio to ask for a meeting and had been unsuccessful.

Jeweline Putman, who was sworn in as a Town Council member Friday, sat in on a three-hour Wednesday executive session of the council that the mayor said included personnel and contractual discussions but ended in no public vote.

"The decision was made that night; that’s all I can say about that," Mrs. Putman said.

On Monday afternoon, Mayor Waller said he knew the police chief had been notified of his termination but wouldn’t say how. He said he hadn’t spoken to Mr. Haynie himself, and said he couldn’t say whether or how the chief had been located after Friday.

Mrs. Lewis declined to comment on the record Monday.

Her attorney, John Peace, said the chief’s apparent absence without leave Friday worried him.

"My client and I were both very concerned that the chief appeared to be missing with his squad car, especially given statements given by the chief that he should shoot Frances Lewis and then himself," he said.

He said the chief’s firing was welcome news.

"Getting the chief out of office will benefit Mrs. Lewis as well as the other women who have been harassed," he said. "Anytime someone who sexually harasses and bullies other people is in a position of authority, it makes it that much harder on the people being harassed."

Ms. Wells said she was relieved to hear of the chief’s firing.

"I certainly think the women in this town can breathe easier," she said. "I just feel easier now. I feel like everything will be all right now."

Neither Mr. Haynie nor his attorney, Thomas Hite, could be reached Monday.

SLED released the results of its investigation late last month in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Anderson Independent-Mail.

Emily Huigens can be reached
at (800) 859-6397, Ext. 326, or by e-mail at
huigensee@IndependentMail.com.

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