Proposal Would Bolster Violent Crimes Prosecution Support
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – House Speaker Murrell Smith joined South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson this morning to highlight the Attorney General office’s new proposed initiative: the Statewide Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit. Attorney General Wilson testified in support of the proposal during Wednesday morning’s Criminal Justice Budget Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee meeting, and joined Speaker Smith, Representatives Bannister, Lowe, W. Newton, Moss, Pope, and Caskey, Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis and Sumter County Clerk of Court James Campbell to speak more about the proposal during the subsequent press conference.
The Statewide Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit aims to help tackle the violent crime backlog with the Solicitor’s Officers across the state. Currently, there are at least 11,600 general sessions indictments that are three years or older pending in our state’s system. Some circuits in the state have hundreds of pending cases, with a few totaling over one thousand. These include significant numbers of murder and sex crimes cases.
Public safety remains a top priority of both the Attorney General’s office and the General Assembly. All parties agree that the current state of the system is unacceptable for a state that values justice in its system and safety for its citizens. The Attorney General’s proposal reflects a shared effort to reduce the backlog, and there will be a continued, collaborative effort as the legislative session continues.
“Justice delayed is justice denied – and that is simply unacceptable for the citizens of our state,” said Speaker of the House Murrell Smith. “I believe this collaborative effort to reduce the case backlog through the Statewide Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit will provide prosecution agencies the assistance they need to give our state the results we deserve. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the General Assembly to take the next steps towards bringing this important objective to life.”
“There is no place for violent crime in South Carolina, said Attorney General Alan Wilson.” “If you commit a violent crime, you will be held responsible within a timely manner. Victims should not have to wait years to get justice. The Violent Crime Case Reduction Unit will help crack down on violent crime across the state by partnering with prosecution agencies to hold defendants accountable and get cases moving. I want to thank the Speaker and the legislature for understanding the importance and urgency of this request and look forward to making it a reality.”
"Victims and their families need closure to an already terrible situation,” said Chairman of the House Ways and Means Criminal Justice Budget Subcommittee Phillip Lowe. “The Violent Crimes Case Reduction Unit will give them the resolution they deserve.”