SLED chief pays farmer's attorney sanction for misconduct in hemp raid

[@QueenCityNews]

It was nearly a year ago that a Dorchester County judge slapped a $11,307.36 sanction on Chief Mark Keel, the head of South Carolina’s top law enforcement agency for a list of discovery abuses arising from his agents’ decision to destroy a hemp farmer’s crop in September 2019. MORE HERE: www.qcnews.com/news/investigations/sled-chief-pays-hemp-farmers-attorney-11300-sanction-for-discovery-misconduct-in-hemp-farm-raid/

[@5onit875]

UPDATE ON THIS PLEASE

[@alexritchie4586]

There's absolutely no point attempting to argue with people this delusional; Saying the enforcer has an 'impeccable record' whilst literally being read a list of his violations. Just vote them out.

[@barrybb5409]

Voting doesnt work. Rope still works. Hemp makes super strong rope.

[@alexritchie4586]

@@barrybb5409 People who say 'voting doesn't work' are exactly why these ass-hat incumbents continue being returned more or less unopposed.

[@xtheunknown9351]

​@@barrybb5409 100% best comment

[@joshuagriffin4375]

He was appointed not elected

[@dwaynestomp5462]

The next question should be "would you like a blindfold and a cigarette?"....

[@thegreyfuzz]

Every LEO has an impeccable record.....until they are actually held to account for their actions.

[@ctcanine]

When they investigate people, the goal is to arrest and convict them when they investigate themselves. The goal is to clear themselves as much as possible.

[@ianbattles7290]

Nobody is a criminal *until they get caught.*

[@elleaubry3772]

Amen!

[@jayadelman5705]

​@ianbattles7290 that's not true at all. You are still a criminal, but you just haven't been caught. If I'm robbing a bunch of people, I'm a criminal, being caught is irrelevant.

[@lunatik9696]

When they don't keep records of police complaints, they ALL have impeccable records.

[@russell5078084]

Corruption at its finest.

[@timtubemusic]

and arrogance. SLED was going to do this to the farmer no matter what a judge or anyone tells them. They think they are gestapo and above the law.

[@CindyPhan-hy7dx]

South Carolina invented this kind of corruption. I know I was born there and left there in Seotember 2022 due to cops trying to arrest me. My family has an inheritance that the SC freemasons and my own relatives are trying to steal.

[@antistupid4712]

Just listening to the gov made me vomit. What a total corrupt clown!

[@gordy7877]

I'm sure the chief is more than willing to waste thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep this in litigation rather than ever admit they F'd up.

[@mikenguyen9683]

at this point, is it up to the chief or the state's lawyer to determine which course of action is in the best interest of the public? ie settle or continue with the process

[@gibblespascack1418]

You mean when an organization conspired to manipulate the judicial system to acheive a goal, then defy the order to not destroy the crop until due process has been achieved, then hide evidence of their conspiracy and perform actions designed to violate the rights of an individual, hold up discovery which is required in the judicial system, then fight the judgement against him for those actions. And this has not come to the original trial conclusion of how much the state will pay the farmer for the illegal activities that the state police created.

[@jenkor513]

That Chief and everyone in his Dept should have their law certifications revoked. The Chief should have his license to practice law be revoked. That dept discussed all of their actions and they were all aware that they had been told they had no legal grounds for their actions. They should be charged with deprivation of rights and oppression under the color of law, trespassing, destruction, and theft of private property, kidnapping, and the all infamous obstruction since after the fact they tried to hide information proving the AG and a higher court Judge denied their request to destroy the crop. They should be paying out of pocket to repay the man's 2 million dollar loss plus the damages to his character when they crucified him in the news. Finally, this case should prove that a magistrate should be required to have a law degree. This Magistrate was clueless to the laws and trusted the chief to be telling the truth.

[@AzrealMaximus]

A magistrate should be doing bond hearings only. Perhaps an arrest warrant for DV. But what Farmer Pendarvis has gone through, nope.

[@intellectualiconoclasm3264]

They should be in prison!

[@johnbauby6612]

The chief practices law? I think he enforces it.

[@colnzgprnts]

The chief should write a check for $267,000 (his yearly salary) to the citizens of SC. He obviously did not earn that money.

[@intellectualiconoclasm3264]

@@johnbauby6612 You mean subverts it.

[@rudedogal1420]

We need to get rid of qualified immunity.

[@jakeford7688]

QI is not a problem here so only covers lawsuits keel and halfwit major violated civil rights and conspired to violate civil rights those are criminal charges qi doesn't cover them

[@Orelswut-nd3gp]

They plan to avoid accountability that way every time the weasel says "that's what the court is for."

[@Taluvian]

There is no qualified immunity when they knowingly violate the law. That is what happened here.

[@Orelswut-nd3gp]

@@Taluvian when the cop asks if you have any weapons, they will point guns at you for not answering the question that shows intent to violate the second amendment. Then they'll read the card in their pocket that says you have the right to remain silent. The last time they told me remaining silent is the first amendment, killed my dog and trashed my car anyway. The rare occasion that the courts are semi respectable is nice but I doubt any off those scumbags lost a penny or spent a day in jail for that. Shuffling stolen money is not justice.

[@bobombnik1817]

If it can't be applied correctly, or litigated properly, absolutely.

[@motorhomemac]

Not many things lower than a dirty cop.

[@PaulWolf-z4o]

A snakes belly!

[@howlinwulf]

Nothing I've heard of any lower. Worms maybe I don't know for sure

[@donbob3343]

Lower than a snakes belly in a wagon rut.​@@PaulWolf-z4o

[@roygbiv5164]

Yes there is, a dirty cop who has power on a statewide basis.

[@ClockworkGFX]

All cops are dirty.

[@ProudCapitalist-ko9ff]

How in the world has the SLED Chief managed to keep his job after this outrage? He blatantly violated this man’s rights knowing what they were doing was illegal. They arrogantly ignored the AG and acted on their own. There is no way he should be protected by qualified immunity.

[@AlanSanderson-u4t]

All he has to do is cut a check to the farmer for approximately $2 million plus interest and legal fees.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

How? He's in the right club and hobnobs with the power crowd.

[@DavidPinner-z1z]

I knows tha governor you kant do nothin to me wes butt buddies

[@mikehod]

Just listen to the Governor explain away the concerns, and you'll see exactly how the SLED chief managed to keep his job. The governor is a slippery speeched politician, and seems like the stereotypical southern state governor portrayed in every corruption movie since the 60's! lol The Good Ole Boys Club is alive and well!

[@Frizzlefry7]

SLED is quite the dumpster fire.

[@ericbrainard4072]

How can there be no criminal culpability here? Bypassing the judiciary and misleading (by omission) a magistrate should be a crime if it isn’t a crime already. These were not mistakes they were coordinated and thoughtfully executed tactics.

[@hornett22]

Rules for thee but not for us. We're law enforcement, not law obeyers.

[@WillCrump-e5x]

Yes! The powers that be were fighting tooth and nail AGAINST legalized MJ in this state. This was to intimidate the hemp growers. It was a calculated conspiracy that involved state legislators who are adamantly opposed to legalizing MJ.

[@GiganticRooster-kn2lj]

Because they are "heros who put thier lives on the line" and they wear costumes 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@gungadinn]

Where I'm from, these tactics are called judge or jury shopping. Unless the defendant has money for a private attorney, a public defender would have bargained for a plea deal and no one would have been the wiser.

[@noconsentgiven]

It is a crime.

[@jarheadleatherneck9965]

He should be fired and criminally charged.

[@Shoreline71]

Yea, Chief and them out there chopping his crop like it was personal. Then he appealed? And getting paid well? What do ya do? Besides just try to stay under SLED radar.

[@annpeerkat2020]

The criminals are the ones wearing badges

[@johnbauby6612]

Precisely. Especially in that state. Look at the number of property seizures they have. Local departments get to keep a large percentage of the money and property they confiscate from citizens. It is totally disgusting.

[@BoFinn52]

SLED has a “Good ole Boy “ policy. The voters need to clean house!

[@CindyPhan-hy7dx]

It's hard when they are all related to each other. Makes family gatherings difficult 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@chrishouk5796]

@KenTuten52 Starting with this old weasel Governor.

[@jrod608]

Harassing farmers is a bad look.

[@gordy7877]

They arrest people for praying.

[@BrianSmith-lo3mj]

@@gordy7877 💯% FACTS ... and it's because they are the devil.

[@WillCrump-e5x]

this was political weaponization against hemp growers because some good ol' boys don't want their jobs to go "poof!" with legalized pot in the state.

[@applianceman6194]

@@BrianSmith-lo3mj ...says the $atanist

[@billb7583]

No recourse for officials

[@ThomasOwl]

Imagine being so scared of a plant that you hurt people.

[@ianbattles7290]

Imagine becoming a cop so you can spend all day doing yardwork...

[@dwaynestomp5462]

​@ianbattles7290 that should be good training for them to do well on the chain gang.

[@survivaloptions4999]

Imagine being so out of touch with reality that you film your own crime for the official record.

[@noconsentgiven]

Excellent😂❤!

[@screddot7074]

Imagine watching a friend die because he thought a plant wouldn't hurt him.

[@shanerumsey5982]

Great reporting. It’s a shame we don’t have real journalism on a national level.

[@jennifermoody6987]

Jodie Barr is absolutely one of the best, most dedicated and tenacious investigative journalists I've ever come across.. he is one of those rare journalists that exposes the truth and corruption within the state's judicial agencies, and I commend his work immensely.. we definitely need more like him

[@xusmico187]

EVERY agent, involved needds to be personnaly accountable. they followed the old "i was following orders" excuse. they own that farmer for all court costs, expungment, legal costs, loss, et al.

[@joekev27]

Ahhh the same excuse the Nazis used. But im sure these officers would never execute someone like the nazis did they just want to use their excuses.

[@tallthinkev]

Normally I'd go along with that, but in this case if anyone did ask he would have lied to them as well. Something like 'it's all good and sighed off'?

[@Fazzel]

But who is going to do it? They have the full backing of the corrupt governor.

[@badlyniceness2315]

Now ..make them pay for his crop..

[@bigrich6750]

When citizens commit obstruction, they go to jail. When law enforcement commits obstruction, the citizens pay the fine, and law enforcement gets promoted. The governor sounds like a moron.

[@neilwilson4590]

Why would they care when any penalties incurred are payed by the tax payer?

[@eyespy1415]

She ordered Keel to pay the $11k, not SLED

[@mikenguyen9683]

@@eyespy1415 . kudo to the judge for not making the public pay for one's intentionally illegal actions while acting under the color of the law

[@neilwilson4590]

@@eyespy1415 that was a fine for not doing something on time, not the over all lawsuit

[@karlrovey]

​@mikenguyen9683 This was only sanctions for violating discovery rules. Even the judge originally made that ruling, Keel had delayed the trial for over a year worth the discovery violations. These appeals have delayed it another year. I'm surprised the judge didn't issue a default judgement over that. Any ordinary defendant would have been defaulted after a year of not complying with discovery.

[@stephenblack8804]

@@eyespy1415It was paid by the state through its insurance fund

[@gregoryjarvis000]

Classic case of petty little government agents wielding their power.

[@robertboykin1828]

THERE IT IS.

[@michaelhollingshead972]

Listening to the Governor make a clown of himself trying to defend Keel was infuriating. What an absolute tool. The Governor should have demanded Keels resignation and cleaned house at SLED, but instead defends a "lawman" with seemingly no respect for due process and all over freaking hemp.

[@frotobaggins7169]

It almost makes one wonder if they have an interested in another hemp crop else where and were trying to drive up the price by destroying the competition. None of this happens in a vacuum.

[@IanBPPK]

Hey, you heard the man, there's two sides to the story and the judiciary is doing something 😂😆

[@garygunson9626]

The governor is part of the problem.

[@OpinionFactChecker]

Back in the day, crooked officers did not retire!

[@OpinionFactChecker]

​@@frotobaggins7169 That wouldn't make a dent in prices, this was personal!

[@dianarockwell6256]

The literally robbed him. They stole his crap which stole his income. I saw this when it happened and I was dumbfounded. It’s the same type of legal loophole that the feds use in California for the marijuana dispensaries. They no longer read the dispensaries because they want them to sell their product because that creates money so they wait until the money gets put in a Brinks truck and is headed on the highway to the bank. Then they pull them over and do a SWAT type maneuver and raid the truck and seize the money for civil asset forfeiture. So they literally steal the money that these people make legally in California because they’re on an interstate highway and marijuana sales are not legal federally. They they want the money, that’s all there is to it. It’s legal highway robbery literally. This was so wrong and so egregious I’m glad the judge saw through the government. They hide behind pending litigation in order to not answer questions like the cowards that they are.

[@rockymntnliberty]

The governor says that SLED and its leader have a terrific reputation, and to that I have to call bulshit. As someone who lives thousands of miles away, SLED has come to my attention, and has a reputation of being an ongoing criminal organization. I see story after story after Story about the corruption and failures of that organization.

[@georgestewart3924]

Yeah, sadly the interviewer didn't have the wit to point out that this scandal might have a bit of a negative impact on their "glowing" reputation.

[@CindyPhan-hy7dx]

They have a reputation for trumping up BS on innocent people.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

The governor is wishy-washy. I wonder what Keel has over him.

[@rockymntnliberty]

@MonkeyJedi99 I would guess not much, because they don't seem to investigate crime, they just protect crooked politicians and law enforcement, while falsely arresting innocent citizens.

[@murlthomas2243]

I’ve been wondering what was going on in this case. Thank you for the update.

[@georgestewart3924]

Somebody, and clearly it wasn't the inspector who noted the crop in a different field and simply advised to update the paperwork, really really wanted to not just prosecute but financially hurt this farmer. Was he growing the crop clandestinely or growing more than had been approved? No. So was there any kind of logical reason to proceed like this? No. So clearly there was another reason, and it looks a lot like this SLED chief is just a power crazed bellend.

[@deanmason5900]

This power hungry man should be fired, this could have been worked out, but his personal beliefs,and ego got in the way.

[@amiej6369]

Somebody has a friend or family growing the same crop and they wanted to remove his crop from the pricing market. Otherwise, no reason to deny the change of the field for water issues.

[@dustinbragg1921]

​@@amiej6369 That or in the tried and true method dating back to feudalism somebody wanted his land. Accuse a farmer of a crime, have him convicted, petition for his forfeited land. -> Raid a farmer for a crime, financially ruin him in the process, force him to sell cheap to pay the bills. It's been around in some form or another for thousands of years, and changed very little. Because, much like a crocadile, some designs just work no matter how the times change.

[@jamescostello6529]

They have the SLED chief on record as saying we will never allow hemp or legal Marijuana to be grown in SC.

[@lordchaa1598]

@@jamescostello6529, yup. This guy is just a misinformed hater. He grew up on and subsequently believed all the propaganda found within Reefer Madness. He’s even on record stating that Marijuana was hurting the tobacco industry. This is just another good old boy who gets tons of money from special interest groups and private prisons. His income relies on him remaining ignorant.

[@darrenlawson4909]

Respectful law officer doesn't do things like this Governor. These criminals belong in jail.

[@C25-150]

I would not be surprised if this ended in a criminal trail for SLED and it’s disbandment if it keeps happening

[@AzrealMaximus]

SC isn't going to get rid of their STATE FBI, just like no other State would. They are at the top of the food chain, but the ego caused them to dig their heels in to make an example of this farmer.

[@thekpmckay]

Really? Not surprised? I'd be amazed if anyone @ SLED suffered ANY real consequences.

[@seth5308]

Been following this story for years. Harassing hard working people is why cops are hated so badly. Self inflicted

[@errantwraith445]

Earning the hate.

[@FrancisBeanBlades]

"...years." That's what gets me. I fell out of following it because I assumed it was finally all done and settled, only to check back and find out it's still going and a year behind because of NC state officials refusing to comply with judicially ordered discovery. I wish to God the sanctions came from his personal accounts instead of NC taxpayers, but we all know better than that.

[@quickgearshifter2719]

@@FrancisBeanBladesit’s South Carolina, SC

[@FrancisBeanBlades]

@@quickgearshifter2719 Doh! Quite right, and I'm not sure how my brain got it backward.

[@lisagrafton2529]

We'd be in jail, for disregarding a judges order! Report him to the bar, if he's a lawyer, for lying and lying by omission, when he shopped around for a judge to sign his order. But the magistrate never signed an order to destroy the crop. He felt his buddies would back him up, and he was correct! The Bar needs to know how he operates!

[@allysonpasqule3433]

That Governor is a disgrace

[@deborahmorris1144]

Nikki Haley who is running for the president 😢😢😢

[@rudedogal1420]

We need to get rid of qualified immunity

[@tira2145]

NO. It needs to be reformed. Get rid of it and you will have no paramedics, fire fighters, law enforcement, judicial system. It would be pure chaos.

[@gunsofsteele]

And get rid of Civil Asset Forfeiture.

[@katiekane5247]

Just FYI, Trump thinks they need increased qualified immunity.

[@mr.sharpie2206]

Firefighters and Paramedics fall under good samaritan laws. They have no need of qualified immunity and I'm not sure they even have it in most states. Quit trying to distract with lies.@@tira2145

[@karlrovey]

​@@tira2145Paramedics and firefighters don't have qualified immunity.

[@georgebrill6549]

Sounds to me that the governor needs to be replaced .

[@Dpsnadress]

I'm still wondering why this doesn't get a man fired?!?

[@ianbattles7290]

Because cops are held to a lower standard than the average citizen.

[@eyespy1415]

Or jailed.

[@walnutkraken9430]

Unions

[@plutotech]

Because cops can do whatever the heck they want and people (bootlickers) will defend them.

[@17forever64]

Ha ha , you obviously don’t live in SC? Sled has always been a mess. They are not accountable to anyone but the politicians. It’s the good old boys network at sled.

[@davidgiles4681]

so, cops decided to act alone (against the advice of both the ag and a judge wanting an open public hearing - cops do not want their actions challenged in the light of the constitutional framework.

[@dustinbragg1921]

Cops have a hierarchy of wants. First is uncritical approval. Nobody looking too closely at what they're doing but signing off on it anyhow. Second being critical approval. It's actually better in most ways than uncritical approval, but they can only get it by going under judicial review, and that risks being definatively told "no" which closes off the following tiers. Third is official ambiguity. This is where their position changes from "We want permission" to "Qualified Immunity is forgiveness." "If the law's not clear then how were we supposed to know we were wrong?" Fourth and finally is no precedant. The law is clear, but there's no prior ruling on a violation they plan on making so QI may still save them. The violation is likely to be sealed off as an option behind them however. They couldn't get the first, they weren't confident on the second, and so they bet on the third, but they played dirty and left a paper trail establishing they were advised not to go ahead so QI arguments are lying dead in the water.

[@stephenblack8804]

@@dustinbragg1921Asking the AG & circuit court judge & being told to follow due process should remove the ambiguity defense. This is why they are fighting this so hard, they are trying bleed the farmer out with legal fees to avoid having this get in front of a jury where they know they will loose badly. I hope the farmer refuses their settlement offer when it comes and takes this to a jury where they know the governor can’t avoid seeing this play out.

[@jol1958]

That Governor loves the 'Good Ol' Boy' network. The kind of politician that needs to be voted out.

[@odin2131]

He needs to be fired. Him being in charge is dangerous and it sets an unprecedented future in law enforcement. They are not above the constitution or law

[@ironhat2]

Great journalism guys. Always a treat Jodie.

[@discgolflife]

Vandalism of two million dollars worth of crop? Shouldn't that be a felony?

[@RoyatAvalonFarms]

The governor is NOT going to hold this cop accountable. He'll just brush it under the rug and keep going as usual. Sad.

[@georgecraytin9838]

Next time ask him if he thinks the taxpayers should pay for his incompetence or his unlawful actions

[@ronaldperry]

They owe that guy 2 million dollars.

[@kreilly421]

I remember this story and feeling so sorry for that farmer. Keep fighting the good fight 🤛

[@intellectualiconoclasm3264]

Who's responsible for Brady-listing the head of the STATE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY?! He has been ADJUTICATED as untrustworthy, along with everyone who played these games, by extension. How do we force that hand?

[@joblo843]

I've been following this since it began. I hope the farmer asks for and receives compensation for loss of profit and punitive damages.

[@Yessssz]

They were told they would violate the farmer’s constitutional rights and they didn’t care. Nationwide problem and standard operating procedure right here

[@markpoultonsrules]

Two standards of justice? Shocking!

[@lindaward3156]

I have a special affinity for farmers, they were the heroes of my childhood, and they need all the support we can give them. If you don't understand farming, don't act like you do. He's still feeling the effects of this and can never recoup the loss. It has many layers.

[@brentwalker8596]

As a former farmer it broke my heart to see those agents destroying the farmer's crop. Everyone in the chain of command should face criminal consequences for their actions.

[@who2u333]

Glad to see y'all keeping up with this story.

[@JoyPeace-ej2uv]

Its not like he planted 80 acres instead of 40 it was still 40 acres still his property. Over controlling freak decided to plow it under. They owe him much more than attorney's fees.

[@dmelson7502]

I hope every farmer in the state takes a good look at the bs their governor is spewing as well.

[@rackbites]

Please keep up the great journalism ... I really want to see this one at through.

[@hornett22]

He should be fired and prosecuted.

[@mikesullivan4059]

The Farmer should be awarded the total amount lost on his crop also!

[@johnseley6231]

Defending this tyrant and showing his bs to the end.

[@leightonfarms4962]

Prison time should be in these so called authorities' future

[@dianarockwell6256]

The state should pay that man for that crap and I’d be really surprised if he didn’t go bankrupt what an awful miss use of government authority

[@968porsche9]

the AG inspector was probably pressured by sled. the first judge refused to sign the warrant.

[@comrade128]

Good reporting as always. Holding Government accountable is the utmost responsibility for journalists in our country. Sadly so few true journalists left. Most spin their stories to serve some political agenda.

[@molskimauler]

Great job Mr. Barr! Keep up your outstanding work keeping our civil servants accountable.

[@rockydaniel7073]

Has anyone asked “why” why was this even an issue for law enforcement? The crop is legal, he had the permits, was it location only? I’d so, why not just ask??? I do hope this guy gets his day in court and 12 of peers see this for the ridiculousness it is- at the end of the day why? What could possibly be gained by Ag or SLED?

[@incredibleadventures1027]

They simply want to exert their own idea of authority

[@rockydaniel7073]

Again, why, they jumped thru hoops to get a lowly magistrate to sign off on this at least partially-something more is afoot here, it has to be, surely

[@dustinbragg1921]

I'm guessing somebody either wanted to eliminate the competition or to buy up the land on the cheap.

[@jacobmoser7963]

I'm glad you are keeping us updated on this case.

[@ianbattles7290]

"Ignorance of the law is not an excuse"...unless you are a cop.

[@jimlofts5433]

it wasn't ignorance it was ignoring

[@dchiffy]

Great report. Terrible coverup. So much money waisted on bureaucrats who feel that their opinion is the law. Not the law. Crazy

[@lonniebrunner483]

They should hand him 2 million dollars first then the settlement. 😮

[@mitchellreid4205]

And some interest on top of that for lost revenue

[@meligoth]

Legal hemp and weed is a threat to organized crime, that includes law enforcement.

[@jimdavies5530]

More common in most states than the courts know and some of the courts are even involved in this kind of uneven handed criminal activity!!!

[@howardkanitz4998]

This Chief should be jailed and stripped of all state benefits. He and the state should be sued for as much that is allowable. No immunity should be allowed.

[@sbaker3232]

When Keel returns, his annual salary will be $267,036, a significant increase from his previous $195,700. Legislators approved the pay raise in October.

[@ericbrainard4072]

Rewarding his malfeasances

[@goodfriendg]

Makes you wonder if this was a corn crop would SLED taken the same actions. There are those people who have been misled to think that hemp is a drug crop when it is not.

[@errantwraith445]

I don't care if it was a drug crop or not. Government is two-faced when it comes to drugs. I assure you, many government employees, are double agents of the drug war.

[@rockymntnliberty]

If you were to make a satirical movie about a corrupt governor, and his evil Overlord of a lead law enforcement officer, this would be the movie, and that interview with the governor would be a perfect scene in the movie.

[@beardo-baggins]

That governor seems like a hydrophobic turd that just won't flush.

[@CindyPhan-hy7dx]

All of SC Leo's and judges are mostly power tripping pedophiles. Not just saying this. My family were TIs for decades. Greenville SC cops harassed my mom, mentally ill sister and special needs nephew for years. They ( my family) witnessed Johnny Mac Brown going into thier neighbors house with other Leo's to " visit' her 9 year old daughter who they would dress up to look even younger. That was the 80s. Johnny Mac is back as Sheriff last I heard 🙄

[@xusmico187]

i now wonder how many of these cases have not been caught.

[@dianarockwell6256]

The harm has already been done to your citizen, governor. How would you like to have the feds come into your home and steal $2 million from you. That’s basically what happened and to do it against the law and against their own policies? That would be enough to make me leave your state and take my entire family which is large with me.

[@ricladouceur6202]

All this for a farmer growing a legal crop! What a waste of resources! Governor the courts have determined he's not just incompetent he's dishonest! You wonder why police can do whatever they want when the governor feels he has no responsibility in the oversight of his Chief! He paid the sanction and it's going to cost them millions for the crop!

[@bugoutfozzy]

As an agricultural commodity broker that was active during the 2019 harvest, this man’s lawyer got $11,000 but his crop was worth around $4/%/lb. Average crops at the time were around 12% CBD. This would put his crop at a value of $48/lb of biomass and an average of 4,000 lbs per acre in SC. This means they destroyed around $192,000/acre in hemp.

[@christopherwhite1648]

I believe it was Industrial Hemp with less than 1% CBD.

[@ManMountainMetals]

He's suing for 2 million. The 11k was a sanction for attempting to avoid handing over discovery documents for 12 months. The actual court case is still on going

[@lordchaa1598]

As someone with your experience, what crop would you recommend a new farmer to plant in this day and age? I’m growing obscure Tea varieties, but I was always interested in hemp and now it’s psychoactive cousin Marijuana. Though the hoops are far greater and requires a whole lot more jumping. It just seems like hemp is worth the hassle if I can pull in those numbers for each acre.

[@bugoutfozzy]

@@christopherwhite1648 It wasn’t. It’s obviously Cannabis Sativa L, which is grown for CBD production, not fiber.

[@bugoutfozzy]

@@lordchaa1598 How many acres of land would be allocated? Looking for a variety of crops or just one?

[@annpeerkat2020]

Keel hauling doesn't occur any more... is public flogging appropriate in such a gross example of tyrannical criminal acts?

[@DavidPinner-z1z]

I say just this one time we reinstate keel hulling

[@annpeerkat2020]

starts collecting barnacles to stick on the keel@@DavidPinner-z1z

[@tomricketts7821]

The pillory has a certain charm as well

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

More of the Government doing whatever it wants to, to ever it wants to.

[@frankvqz3799]

More like the conduct and actions of some people in positions of power in the government that are are abusers of power

[@survivaloptions4999]

"He's been in law enforcement a long time." Then why is he still so bad at it and why does he not know better than to do what he did? That makes it worse, Governor, not better.

[@elleaubry3772]

Is it possible for this gentleman to sue the state? Seems to me if they destroyed his crop they should pay him for the value of the crop since they willfully and maliciously destroyed it.

[@micfail2]

The old guy was right about the purpose of the legal system, which unfortunately for him, raises the question of why the defendant and all his co-conspirators in this case have yet to be arrested and forced to stand trial for the multiple violent felonies they committed. If he actually stood behind his guy and actually believed in the legal system, he would be insisting that his buddy be arrested and stand trial.

[@glenmel78]

I can't even imagine the amount of innocent people this criminal organization had locked up.

[@henryparrott2447]

Every day citizens screwed

[@brucegarwood2022]

good old boy state, we have took our vacation in south Carolina for the last 15 years no more for our family!!

[@scottbehr5690]

It's abundantly clear...in this case corruption starts from the top down.... And Why would anyone expect anything different from McMaster...he was a lawyer also.... Now SLED needs to be found guilty as hell and pay for lost income of the farmer

[@xusmico187]

Why would a bar card lawyer want to be cop?

[@jamesbell6182]

If he or she has a B.A.R. Card they’re already a criminal.

[@johndcunninghamjr4111]

For the first time the justice system is actually working like it's should with so called law enforcement officers. I will definitely remember this one. It's been a long time coming.

[@quickgearshifter2719]

There’s still one thing missing…criminal charges against the SLED chief and conspiracy charges for every one of them who took part in destroying the farmer’s crop.

[@johndcunninghamjr4111]

Also the money lost for the crop that was destroyed.

[@philliplopez8745]

A classic case of jackboots with badges making their own law .

[@kiowa4440]

They need to make it legal to grow hemp without all the strict regulations. It's a harmless plant with hundreds of uses. Big business don't want that though since it's a major competitor for timber, oil and cotton.

[@Mike44460]

Thanks for staying on this story. I have been following this story since day one.

[@MrHappyDuckie]

Thank you for this update!!!

[@wheressteve]

Don't worry, the criminals in this case will be fine. Their Government jobs and pensions will be protected and defended with taxpayer money and all available resources that will be provided free of charge.

[@psy-chopps]

best part of this is seeing them labor in the field to get rid of it all just to pay for it in the end

[@arlo4051]

At least it showed there are some judges still around that aren't just a rubber stamp for the gestapo .

[@coffeegator6033]

This is what law enforcement has been reduced to in every corner of our country. They use you for their career whether it's morally right or wrong. They are on their side, not yours. Those clowns could have been doing actual police work and solving actual crimes but nope, they go after a farmer. Way to go South Carolina!

[@BillyBOB-sm3rl]

I have been somewhat following this case. I'm so happy the farmer won. That SLED chief needs to go to jail. 2 million dollar crop destroyed. He should loose his pension, house and every. SLED agent there should turn over their pensions.

[@92656trw]

Who actually paid the $11,000??

[@DavidPinner-z1z]

I was thinking the same thing you know it was not Keel

[@shaynegadsden]

Well they did say it was him and it was him that was fined not the department

[@DavidPinner-z1z]

Probably ill gotten gains

[@MrWaynesea]

Thank you for keeping this in the public forum. Good reporting. We are excited to see accountability for public employees.

[@jasonguyton9258]

Tar and feather should still be a thing. IMO

[@christopherwhite1648]

The Founders would have been building gallows a long time ago. In the 19th and early 20th century, plenty of hemp was grown by farmers. No permits or permission was needed. If people came on your property and started destroying your crop, they would have been shot and the local Sheriff would have arrested the survivors.

[@DavidPinner-z1z]

After the Keel hauling

[@hurricanezero]

GREAT REPORTING; I can’t believe it’s been 4 YEARS

[@jamesreedii1804]

See how the ones that wanted you in jail for this are now making money on it double standards not acceptable .

[@2nd_of_3]

More much more than $11,000 should’ve been awarded to this man. This is one of those moments in Time where you say smack. And sanction them for over $1 million for stepping outside their purview.

[@shaynegadsden]

That was basically a fine for wasting the atterney's time so given the amount to cover costs , but the actual case is still going

[@OgamiItto70]

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: SLED has a "truthfulness policy..." GOVERNOR POLITICIAN: A what?! Ha-ha! Of course you're going to have to explain that to him!