thread-index: Ac/dfJVSQKO8iZeXQbCspPTgTssTzw==
Thread-Topic: Brown vs. Lawrence, adoption case just heard by SC Supreme Court
From: <governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com>
To: <governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com>
Subject: Brown vs. Lawrence, adoption case just heard by SC Supreme Court
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2014 09:35:36 -0400
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<APP>CUSTOM
<PREFIX>Mrs.</PREFIX>
<FIRST>Pamela</FIRST>
<MIDDLE>B</MIDDLE>
<LAST>Stuckey</LAST>
<SUFFIX></SUFFIX>
<TITLE></TITLE>
<ORGANIZATION></ORGANIZATION>
<ADDR1>1747 Towne St</ADDR1>
<ADDR2></ADDR2>
<CITY>Johns Island</CITY>
<STATE>SC</STATE>
<ZIP>29455</ZIP>
<EMAIL>brownpamela@yahoo.com</EMAIL>
<PHONE_H>843-345-9016</PHONE_H>
<PHONE_B></PHONE_B>
<ISSUE>LETT</ISSUE>
<SUBJECT>Brown vs. Lawrence, adoption case just heard by SC Supreme Court</SUBJECT>
<MSG>
To South Carolina Governor Nikki R. Haley:

            I am writing as a member of the Brown family, reaching out as one of your supporters in the state of South Carolina, in an attempt to appeal an occurrence of faulty representation during the signing of an original adoption order, and hoping that you would be able to review our case in the custody of Harper according to the following information.

            In the month of October, 2013, Charlotte, NC resident Holly Lawrence brought her newborn daughter, Harper, to Charleston SC, and gave her up for adoption to Jennifer Brown. Shortly thereafter, Lawrence changed her mind about the adoption process, deciding to fight to regain the custody of her child, and has been winning in court against the adoptive mother, especially due evidence that Charleston Attorney Doug Barker did not correctly complete the original consent forms for Harper's adoption. Harper is now scheduled to return to North Carolina with Lawrence this following Monday. 

            I understand that the right to counsel is a sixth amendment right, and while Jim Thompson is representing Lawrence, it has not only appeared that he has taken her case for free, but that the nature of the case is inconsistent with most of the other cases that Thompson represents. The main reasons I am attempting to appeal is due to how Lawrence did not cooperate with the guardian ad litem, Jon Mersereau, during his investigation, obstructing the home study in North Carolina. With the incomplete investigation, there is no proof that Lawrence provides a safe environment for Harper. Furthermore, Lawrence has a history of cocaine abuse, and there have been various instances throughout the legal process where she has been untruthful, refusing to admit that she wanted her baby to go directly to the adoptive mother and never be in the hands of DSS.  Holly demanded that the adoption take place in SC where she could just come and sign papers and hand off her child.  Doug Barker assured me and my family that this was a legal way to go about an adoption.
            My family is not trying to take Harper away from her biological mother and tear her family apart. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Over the past year, my family has cared for Harper, giving her a safe environment to live in, raising her as part of the family to the point where she is a part of our family. Removing Harper from the environment she has lived in for most of her first year would be detrimental to her emotional stability, not to mention the possibility of her returning to an unstable household. My family simply wants what is best for her.  We are not even sure that Holly is not planning to allow one of the families waiting to adopt, through Jim Thompson, to adopt Harper.

            I ask you to please take a moment and review this case.  This is truely a case of a mother changing her mind, although we are not sure she really wants the child herself. Harper has been in a loving family environment for almost a year.  She should not have her life turned upside down just because my sister trusted an attorney who did not know what he was doing.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Sincerely,
Pamela Brown Stuckey


</MSG>

</APP>