NEWS: Burton Fire, Beaufort County School District receive award. PAGE A5
OCTOBER 17 - 23, 2019 WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
City of Beaufort settles suit brought by ACLU Case involved right to counsel in municipal courts
By Mike McCombs The American Civil Liberties Union, the City of Beaufort and the Town of Bluffton announced a settlement last week in an Oct. 2017 lawsuit accusing the municipalities of depriving lawyers to poor people facing incarceration if convicted in municipal court. The ACLU of South Carolina and Nelson Mullins Riley
and Scarborough LLP were involved in the settlement, as well. According to Beaufort City Manager Bill Prokop, the parties had been on the same page for close to a year, but it simply took this long to work out all of the details. Prokop said the city’s procedures won’t change from what it has been doing for the past year.
Losing a huge asset
“Public defenders will be handled by the county’s public defender office in a contract with Beaufort, Bluffton and Port Royal,” Prokop said. Hilton Head Island did away with its municipal court. Prokop said the parties had to be sure the details of the settlement were within state law and satisfied the state court administration, as well as the
public defenders. The settlement comes at little cost for the city, Prokop said. The change in cost is “within a couple percentage points,” Prokop said. The municipalities were responsible for $250,000 in ACLU court costs, but that will come from the state insurance reserve fund. According to the ACLU, in
addition to the settlement on public defenders, the municipalities will provide written notice and oral advisement of the right to counsel to every person charged with an offense that carries the possibility of a jail sentence. They will also refrain from conducting trials in absentia without counsel unless such defendants have willfully waived their rights.
“Whether you are rich or poor, the right to a lawyer is a pillar of our criminal legal system,” director of the ACLU’s Criminal Law Reform Project Ezekiel Edwards said in a release. “For far too long, municipal courts in South Carolina have run wealth-based systems by treating this con-
SEE SUIT PAGE A5
FRIGHT-SEEING TOURS
Community mourns beloved ‘Mrs. E’ of BeaufortPort Royal Fire Department By Mindy Lucas
F
ormer Fire Chief Wendell Wilburn remembers Linda Edgerley not only as someone who was extremely capable and hard working but for one quality in particular. “She was always look- Linda ing out for her Edgerley extended family,” he said, referring to the City of Beaufort-Town of Port Royal Fire Department. “She made sure they had what they needed, when they needed it, and if she didn’t have it immediately, she would certainly fulfill that need.” Lovingly called “Mrs. E” or “mom” by firefighters and staff, Edgerley served as the department’s executive office manager for 27 years before retiring in 2009. Edgerley, 74, who had chronic lung disease, died at her home on Sept. 30. Wilburn, who hired Edgerley in 1982, said she was instrumental not only with the day-to-day needs of the fire house – from the paperwork all new hires filled out to everyday budgetary needs – but in building relationships with the community and the city as well.
The dedication in her was as strong as it was in many of our firefighters.” “She had some great relationships at city hall because she had to be there almost everyday to take paperwork over,” he said. “She was a huge asset.”
SEE MOURN PAGE A5
Ghost Tours re-establish their ghoulish grip on downtown Beaufort
Ghostly spirits are expected to take over downtown Beaufort while the Exchange Club hosts its 27th annual Ghost Tours. Sign up now to take a carriage ride or walking tour through Beaufort’s Historic District while listening to haunting tales of the area.
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2019 Halloween events around Beaufort County, A5
What: 7th annual Beaufort Ghost Tours When: October 18-20, 25-27, 30. Where: The streets of downtown Beaufort. Cost: Walking tour – $12. Carriage tours – $12 for children ages 3-11, $22 for adults. Reservations: www. capabeaufort.org or 843-52-GHOST. Notes: All children must be accompanied by an adult. … All proceeds benefit the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) of Beaufort County.
Tours last about an hour and will run in the evenings of October 18-20, 25-27, and 30. All proceeds benefit the
SEE GHOST PAGE A5
Photo above: Beth “Capt. Elizabeth Swann” Lewis seems to be held captive by Dennis “Black Beard” Adams as surrounding lights appear to be making their own haunting escape. Left: Dennis Adams gathers up his severed heads while he gets read to portray Capt. Edward “Black Beard” Teach during the annual Exchange Club Ghost Tour fundraiser for the Child Abuse Prevention Association in 2018. Photos by Bob Sofaly.
League of Women Voters hosting Port Royal Candidates’ Forum The League of Women Voters is sponsoring the Port Royal Candidates’ Forum at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21 at at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1104 11th Street, Port Royal. Initially conceived as two separate forums, the format
will now include the three candidates running for two town council seats and the two candidates running for mayor. An independent moderator – Asa Aarons, consumer reporter from “Just Ask Asa”
– and timer will preside. Each candidate will have a set statement time; the moderator will then ask questions from the League and written questions from the audience. Writing materials will be available for attendees’
questions. You can also submit questions by Friday Oct. 18 to LWVBeaufort@gmail. com. Jerry Ashmore, Robert Landrum and Kevin Phillips are running for two town council seats. All three will
be present Monday. Mary Beth Gray-Heyward and Joe DeVito are running for mayor, as long-time mayor Sam Murray is not seeking re-election. Only DeVito will be present Monday. Election Day is Nov. 5. We are. Accreditation
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