Date Published: April 14, 2006   

State to fund prosecutors for domestic cases

Panel bows to public pressure to tackle violence problem

By CRYSTAL OWENS
Item Staff Writer
cowens@theitem.com

After a bombardment of e-mails from South Carolina prosecutors and victims' rights advocates, the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday night reversed direction on a fund designed to fight domestic violence.

The $2.2 million appropriation, requested by South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, is to be spread among the state's 16 circuits to give every county a dedicated domestic-violence prosecutor to argue cases in magistrate court.

"I am thrilled that's put back in," said Laura Hudson, public policy coordinator for the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network.

The Senate Finance Committee announced Tuesday that it would only go along with a $550,000 pilot program using four prosecutor offices throughout the state, rather than one in each county as McMaster had proposed.

State Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, said the idea that the committee slashed the funding was misconstrued.

"It was proposed at that level ($2.2 million), but it was never funded," he said.

McMaster has called domestic violence the state's No. 1 crime problem. More than 36,000 domestic violence incidents are reported by victims annually to state law enforcement agencies, he said, and during the past eight years an average of 38 women have been killed each year by their intimate partners.

"South Carolina has a very bad record when it comes to domestic violence," Leventis said. "It's just like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But by raising the issue, as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) did, it helped. The same thing now has happened with CDV and it's helped. I want it to be a topic that is discussed."

Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis said the news that his deputies were going to get some assistance in the courtroom was exciting.

"Now, most (domestic violence) cases proceed with just the officers present," he said. "Hopefully, with the legal assistance and stiffer penalties, this will deter some of these crimes from happening."

Dennis said the number of domestic violence cases in Sumter County increases each year.

In the last week, at least six men and women were arrested for criminal domestic violence by Sumter city and county officers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Contact Staff Writer Crystal Owens at cowens@theitem.com or 803-774-1270.