Solicitor addresses backlog in Lowcountry court cases

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Experts are addressing the Lowcountry’s major backlog in court cases after Charleston officials raised concern following a shooting on King Street over the weekend.

“Given the backlog, I do think it’s become a bit of a public safety issue relative to violent offenders,” said Attorney Charlie Condon, the former Attorney General of South Carolina.

According to 9^th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, Charleston County has 12,000 warrants and Berkeley has another 7,000. She said the backlog is starting to ease now that the courts have opened.

“Having trials scheduled, having court hearings scheduled helps us move things either by trial or by guilty plea, by bench warrant, by alternative resolutions so that’s made a tremendous difference,” said Solicitor Wilson.

Experts said because of the backlog, it could take a few years before a violent offender goes to trial. Of course, if they make bond, they’re back on the streets.

“The focus will have to be on those people that are most likely to physically injure or cause more damage,” said Jimmy Richardson, the 15^th Circuit Solicitor.

Solicitor Wilson said she has been pushing for reform for years, but said her office isn’t making progress with the courts. Some of her proposals include bond revocations for dangerous repeat offenders as well as increasing the pressure of bond estreatment for offenders’ bad behavior.

“One of the big things the public doesn’t understand is that there is no percentage requirement that a defendant or a defendant’s family is required to put up for him to make bond, that’s totally between a bail bondsman and a defendant,” said Wilson.

The Solicitor said her office is working to get violent crime cases to the top of the docket, but that decision lies in the hands of the courts.

“One thing that my office is trying to do is find alternative ways to dispose of nonviolent offenders who aren’t going to physically harm anyone,” she said.

Wilson said this will free up court time.