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SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
Lawyers file pardon in Stinney case
Dillon Park shut down
Application a backup plan if retrial efforts fail BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com While the families on both sides of a 70-year-old murder case await a judge’s ruling on a motion to grant George Stinney a retrial, another avenue may still exist to overturn the young teen’s 1944 death sentence. In case the judge’s decision goes against Stinney’s relatives, leaving in place the 14-year-old’s conviction for the murder of two young Alcolu girls that sent the youngster to the death chamber decades ago, lawyers have also filed an application to grant Stinney a pardon from the governor. But both they and the family remain committed to the first option. “This is a PETE O’BOYLE backup plan,” said Stinney SCDPPPS spokesman family attorney Steve McKenzie. The small Clarendon County community of Alcolu was in an uproar in March 1944 when the bodies of Betty June Binnicker and Mary Thames were discovered in a shallow ditch, each of the girls having suffered a mortal head wound. Authorities soon accused George Stinney, a local teen who was apparently the last person to see the girls alive, and the boy was quickly convicted and sentenced to the electric chair. The case, involving one of the youngest defendants ever put to death by the state, has since been cited by supporters as a high-profile case of racial injustice. Stinney was black, his two alleged victims white. While it could still be weeks until a ruling is handed down on the retrial motion, attorneys have also filed to have Stinney’s record cleared by the state Department of Probation, Parole
‘If the judge overturns the verdict and orders a retrial, then a pardon becomes moot. You can’t pardon someone who’s innocent.’
SEE STINNEY, PAGE A4
PHOTOS BY MATT WALSH / THE SUMTER ITEM
Duke Energy Progress trucks line up along one of the roads inside Dillon Park in Sumter on Saturday. The park is closed to the public as the grounds are being used as a headquarters to shelter and feed those working to restore power to the area.
Area in use as headquarters for utility workers restoring power to residents after winter storm BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com Frequenters of Dillon Park will have to look elsewhere for their exercise and leisure needs for a while. The park has been temporarily closed off to the public because power crews are using the park as a base of operations for restoring power lost as a result of the winter storm. According to Sumter County Emergency Management Director Erik Hayes, Duke Energy Progress, along with workers from other power companies, has established a base camp at Dillon Park to assist residents that have lost power. The company has asked the public to refrain from entering the park
A catering company meets in Dillon Park in Sumter to feed the workers trying to restore power after last week’s ice storm. until further notice. While the park is in good condition, the emergency crews have blocked off entrances to the park
with cones and signs to prevent the public from possibly interfering with their work as a safety precaution.
“It’s more of a safety issue with the weather finally getting a break and
SEE DILLON PARK, PAGE A6
Director says Sumter will not run Pinewood special election ‘From what I understand, Pinewood has its own election commission.’ PATRICIA JEFFERSON Sumter County Election Director
BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem.com The Sumter County Election Commission will not run Pinewood’s special election set for March 11, leaving more confusion as to how the special election will be run. “From what I understand, Pinewood has its own election commission,” said Sumter County Election Director Patricia Jefferson. During a council meeting Tuesday, Pinewood Mayor Pro Tem Sarah
DEATHS, A7, A9
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Mathis — who is also one of two people on the ballot for mayor — said she contacted Jefferson on how to organize the election because the town has an autonomous but inexperienced election commission of its own. At that time, Mathis said Jefferson agreed for the county election commission to run the election, if needed. Pinewood councilwoman Frances Lester asked Mathis if their election commission will have any involvement in the special election, to which Mathis replied no because the individuals elected
Maurice J. Conyers Gloria M. Heyward Cleveland Walker Marie R. Lewis Robert J. Burleson Terry Johnson Marvin T. Lyne
Butch Gallishaw Michael A. Montalbano Fair Isaac Wilhelmenia Houston Levy Walters Thomas A. Cain Janie P. Durant
Mary Lee Swinton Roseanna B. Washington Alan D. Charpentier Thelma K. Mowatt
have not received proper training. However, Jefferson said on Friday she never made nor received any contact from Mathis about the upcoming balloting. Instead, Jefferson said the county office would be providing poll workers and ballots for the special election, but it’s the town’s own election commission that’s responsible for certifying the special election. Pinewood resident Manley C. Dubose — the candidate opposing Mathis on
SEE PINEWOOD, PAGE A4
WEATHER, A10
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5 SECTIONS, 36 PAGES VOL. 119, NO. 105
Partly sunny today; mainly clear tonight. HIGH 56, LOW 31
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