Murder case gets special prosecutor
ation
plic e p A adl in
e D
See pages 1B thru 8B
7 2 y l Ju
Vol. 124, No. 27
Thursday, July 14, 2011
50 cents
Murder case gets special prosecutor John Charles Robbins Heartland Publications
Special prosecutor Ernest ‘Chip’ Finney III.
CHESTERFIELD — The criminal case against the son of a sheriff’s deputy accused of murder will be handled by a special prosecutor. The Chronicle has learned that Ernest “Chip” Finney III, of Sumter County, has been tapped to prosecute the case. Finney is the solicitor of the Third Judicial Circuit in South Carolina. Graham Franklin Douglas, 32, of 1311 Jackson Road West, Chesterfield, is accused of gunning down Charles Eden Smith, 27, of
5869 Teals Mill Road, Chesterfield, on the evening of May 31 at his home. The killing occurred about 6:30 p.m. after the men argued, according to a three-page incident report of the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office. Douglas, a former law clerk, was arrested on charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to arrest warrants. The S.C. Attorney General’s Office last week assigned Finney as the special prosecutor in the case, according to Chesterfield County Solicitor Will Rogers. In exchange, Rogers’ office will be
handling prosecution of a case from Sumter. “My understanding is that we were assigned a case that he (Finney) had a conflict of interest on. Every now and again we swap them up … every solicitor has too many cases on their docket, and this kind of balances it out,” Rogers said. Not only has a special prosecutor been named to the Douglas case, but the accused man is being held outside of Chesterfield County. Douglas is behind bars at the Marlboro County Detention Center in Bennettsville, according to Earl Hood, jail
administrator. Douglas is being housed at the Marlboro County facility at the request of Chesterfield County officials, said Hood. No other information about the case is available from Marlboro County. The murder remains under investigation by state lawmen. The homicide investigation was turned over to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) because Douglas is the son of Leon Douglas, who is employed by the Sheriff’s Office. Leon Douglas
SHOOTING
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
Building purchase gets OK John Charles Robbins Heartland Publications
Contributed photos
Young John Anderson of Cheraw will soon get his wish of being able to raise chickens inside the town limits, as town officials are in the process of adopting rules to allow it.
Cheraw welcomes Chickens Mosquito population could be impacted
John Charles Robbins Heartland Publications
CHERAW — If everyone kept five chickens, the mosquito population would be cut in half. That’s just one interesting fact that a young boy taught officials of the Town of Cheraw, who this week began the process of adopting zoning rules to allowing town residents to raise chickens. At its regular meeting Tuesday night, the town council unanimously approved the
first reading of a zoning ordinance that sets forth the rules for raising chickens inside the town limits. The second and final reading is scheduled for the council’s August meeting. The move is wonderful news to the boy from Cheraw who brought up the possibility to town leaders earlier this year. John Anderson, son of Douglas and Marion Anderson of Cheraw, isn’t your typical youngster — unless you know a lot boys who are organic farmers. The family has property outside of town near
Wallace where John raises chickens, and has a garden. The youth had hoped to raise chickens at home in Cheraw but learned it was not allowed under current zoning laws. Which came first: The chicken or the egg? The boy came first, at least in this scenario. John earlier this year appeared before the Cheraw Town Council and made a noteworthy PowerPoint presentation on
CHICKENS
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
Council posts open Staff report
CHERAW — Mayor Scott Hunter is one of four elected officials facing re-election this fall. At the general election on November 8, town voters will be electing the mayor and three council members. Each elected post is for a four-year term. The period for candidates to file for the election will begin next month, said Clerk-Treasurer Clementine A. Ellis. Hunter, of 126 Burchwood Circle, will see his term expire Dec. 31, as will three others on the town council. They are: n District 1 Councilman Randy Butler of 407 State Road. n District 3 Councilman John
BUILDING
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
This November, voters in Cheraw will be electing a mayor and three council representatives. The terms of Mayor Scott Hunter, District 1 Councilman Randy Butler, District 3 Councilman John K. Melton, and District 5 Councilman Fred Harris, expire in December.
K. Melton of 104 Clyde Ave. n District 5 Councilman Fred Harris of 318 Greene St. Ellis released the election calendar for this fall on Tuesday. Candidates who wish to compete for those council positions can file for the election beginning August 29. The filing period extends through September 2. For residents, the last day to register to be able to vote in the November general election is October 8. If a runoff election where necessary, it would be held on November 22. For more information, call Town Hall (843) 537-8400.
Contributed photo
cheraw online?
➠
For breaking news visit us online at theCherawChronicle.com
CHERAW — The town council moved ahead with its plan to purchase a cavernous vacant warehouse on Tuesday night, but only after the financing is put into place to make the sale a reality. The action came after an 80 minute executive session held behind closed doors. In the end, Councilman Billy Wallace Jr. cast the only no vote — twice. Last month the council approved the first reading of an ordinance to purchase the large and vacant B.C. Moore’s warehouse building on Powe Street for $600,000. Wallace cast the lone no vote. The purchase was expected to be finalized at the council’s regular meeting this week, when the second reading of the ordinance was scheduled to occur. The topic came up last week at the council’s work session, as council members examined several financing plans to manage the purchase and costly renovation of the old warehouse. The council directed Town Administrator Mike Smith to invite the town’s bonding attorney to attend Tuesday night’s meeting and explain the three
S.C. Tax Burden: Among the nation’s best – or worst? see 4A
News................. 2, 3A 126 Anniversary... 1B Opinion................. 4A Datebook ............. 2A Obits..................... 5A Classifieds........ 7, 8A
plic e p A adl in
e D
See pages 1B thru 8B
7 2 y l Ju
Vol. 124, No. 27
Thursday, July 14, 2011
50 cents
Murder case gets special prosecutor John Charles Robbins Heartland Publications
Special prosecutor Ernest ‘Chip’ Finney III.
CHESTERFIELD — The criminal case against the son of a sheriff’s deputy accused of murder will be handled by a special prosecutor. The Chronicle has learned that Ernest “Chip” Finney III, of Sumter County, has been tapped to prosecute the case. Finney is the solicitor of the Third Judicial Circuit in South Carolina. Graham Franklin Douglas, 32, of 1311 Jackson Road West, Chesterfield, is accused of gunning down Charles Eden Smith, 27, of
5869 Teals Mill Road, Chesterfield, on the evening of May 31 at his home. The killing occurred about 6:30 p.m. after the men argued, according to a three-page incident report of the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office. Douglas, a former law clerk, was arrested on charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to arrest warrants. The S.C. Attorney General’s Office last week assigned Finney as the special prosecutor in the case, according to Chesterfield County Solicitor Will Rogers. In exchange, Rogers’ office will be
handling prosecution of a case from Sumter. “My understanding is that we were assigned a case that he (Finney) had a conflict of interest on. Every now and again we swap them up … every solicitor has too many cases on their docket, and this kind of balances it out,” Rogers said. Not only has a special prosecutor been named to the Douglas case, but the accused man is being held outside of Chesterfield County. Douglas is behind bars at the Marlboro County Detention Center in Bennettsville, according to Earl Hood, jail
administrator. Douglas is being housed at the Marlboro County facility at the request of Chesterfield County officials, said Hood. No other information about the case is available from Marlboro County. The murder remains under investigation by state lawmen. The homicide investigation was turned over to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) because Douglas is the son of Leon Douglas, who is employed by the Sheriff’s Office. Leon Douglas
SHOOTING
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
Building purchase gets OK John Charles Robbins Heartland Publications
Contributed photos
Young John Anderson of Cheraw will soon get his wish of being able to raise chickens inside the town limits, as town officials are in the process of adopting rules to allow it.
Cheraw welcomes Chickens Mosquito population could be impacted
John Charles Robbins Heartland Publications
CHERAW — If everyone kept five chickens, the mosquito population would be cut in half. That’s just one interesting fact that a young boy taught officials of the Town of Cheraw, who this week began the process of adopting zoning rules to allowing town residents to raise chickens. At its regular meeting Tuesday night, the town council unanimously approved the
first reading of a zoning ordinance that sets forth the rules for raising chickens inside the town limits. The second and final reading is scheduled for the council’s August meeting. The move is wonderful news to the boy from Cheraw who brought up the possibility to town leaders earlier this year. John Anderson, son of Douglas and Marion Anderson of Cheraw, isn’t your typical youngster — unless you know a lot boys who are organic farmers. The family has property outside of town near
Wallace where John raises chickens, and has a garden. The youth had hoped to raise chickens at home in Cheraw but learned it was not allowed under current zoning laws. Which came first: The chicken or the egg? The boy came first, at least in this scenario. John earlier this year appeared before the Cheraw Town Council and made a noteworthy PowerPoint presentation on
CHICKENS
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
Council posts open Staff report
CHERAW — Mayor Scott Hunter is one of four elected officials facing re-election this fall. At the general election on November 8, town voters will be electing the mayor and three council members. Each elected post is for a four-year term. The period for candidates to file for the election will begin next month, said Clerk-Treasurer Clementine A. Ellis. Hunter, of 126 Burchwood Circle, will see his term expire Dec. 31, as will three others on the town council. They are: n District 1 Councilman Randy Butler of 407 State Road. n District 3 Councilman John
BUILDING
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3A
This November, voters in Cheraw will be electing a mayor and three council representatives. The terms of Mayor Scott Hunter, District 1 Councilman Randy Butler, District 3 Councilman John K. Melton, and District 5 Councilman Fred Harris, expire in December.
K. Melton of 104 Clyde Ave. n District 5 Councilman Fred Harris of 318 Greene St. Ellis released the election calendar for this fall on Tuesday. Candidates who wish to compete for those council positions can file for the election beginning August 29. The filing period extends through September 2. For residents, the last day to register to be able to vote in the November general election is October 8. If a runoff election where necessary, it would be held on November 22. For more information, call Town Hall (843) 537-8400.
Contributed photo
cheraw online?
➠
For breaking news visit us online at theCherawChronicle.com
CHERAW — The town council moved ahead with its plan to purchase a cavernous vacant warehouse on Tuesday night, but only after the financing is put into place to make the sale a reality. The action came after an 80 minute executive session held behind closed doors. In the end, Councilman Billy Wallace Jr. cast the only no vote — twice. Last month the council approved the first reading of an ordinance to purchase the large and vacant B.C. Moore’s warehouse building on Powe Street for $600,000. Wallace cast the lone no vote. The purchase was expected to be finalized at the council’s regular meeting this week, when the second reading of the ordinance was scheduled to occur. The topic came up last week at the council’s work session, as council members examined several financing plans to manage the purchase and costly renovation of the old warehouse. The council directed Town Administrator Mike Smith to invite the town’s bonding attorney to attend Tuesday night’s meeting and explain the three
S.C. Tax Burden: Among the nation’s best – or worst? see 4A
News................. 2, 3A 126 Anniversary... 1B Opinion................. 4A Datebook ............. 2A Obits..................... 5A Classifieds........ 7, 8A
