Even if the public health threat of the Coronavirus locked the doors of the Colleton County Courthouse, the domestic violence trial for suspended sheriff Robert A. Strickland which was scheduled to begin on March 23 would not have been held.
Robert Kittle, spokesperson for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, said Strickland’s attorney Andy Savage has withdrawn his motion for a speedy trial and the case has been continued.
Strickland’s jury trial on a charge of second-degree domestic violence was set to be part of the March Colleton County General Sessions docket on the week of March 23 with visiting Circuit Court Judge R. Ferrell Cothran presiding.
Shortly after Strickland was indicted on the charge in November, he retained Savage to represent him. One of Savage’s first moves was to file a motion seeking a speedy trial.
Savage said earlier this month that he sought the early trial to allow for Strickland to file for reelection if he was acquitted of the charge. The filing period for running in the Republican and Democratic primaries began on March 16 and closes at noon on March 30. The primaries will be held on June 9.
The possibility of Strickland being able to return to office and maybe run again disappeared on Feb. 18 when South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that Strickland had been indicted on 15 criminal charges following an investigation of Strickland by the South Carolina State Grand Jury.
The investigation that led to the indictments, which include multiple counts of misconduct in office and embezzlement, began well before the sheriff was arrested on the domestic violence charge.
On Nov. 7 Strickland allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend, punching her several times in the face. In addition to receiving injuries to her face the woman also sustained an arm injury as she attempted to block the assault.
Strickland allegedly grabbed her cell phones so she could not call for help. She locked herself in her vehicle and the two-term sheriff reportedly began hitting her vehicle.
On Nov. 9, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agent assigned to investigate the incident filed a second-degree domestic violence charge against Strickland.
Strickland took a voluntary leave from office following the arrest and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster temporarily suspended Strickland from office on Nov. 22.
McMaster, at the same time, appointed SLED Lt. Charles Ghent, an Edisto Beach resident, to serve as sheriff. Ghent will serve in the position until a new sheriff is elected in the November general election.
Strickland, a Republican, was expected to face a large number of challengers in the primary election before his legal troubles began.
In the early days of the candidate statement of candidacy period, five Republican candidates for Strickland’s post filed the necessary paperwork with the Colleton County Office of Voter Registration and Elections.
They include, in order of filing, Buddy Hill, Craig Stivender, Mark Cobb, Anthony Buchanan and Dolphus Pinckney. Arthur Jordan has filed to run for sheriff in the Democratic primary. Additional candidates are expected to file before the March 30 deadline.
