Richland County accused of sales tax fraud
The S.C. Department of Revenue’s dispute with Richland County over the use of penny sales tax funds continues, The State reports. The Revenue Department announced it will stop transferring money collected from sales tax to the county, and it alleges that the county has spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars” fraudulently. Richland County filed a lawsuit in late May against the Revenue Department asking for the money to be released. The county has yet to respond to the new affirmation.
Richland County seeks to suspend commissioner
Local legislators recommended that the Richland County recreation commissioner be suspended over investigations into corruption, WIS reports. The commission is currently being investigated by the FBI, State Law Enforcement Division and other authorities. They are also facing five lawsuits. The vote to recommend suspending Commission Director James Brown III came by a 53 percent to 38 percent margin.
Judge decides not to change Slager trial date
A circuit court judge did not reschedule the trial date for the officer accused of killing Walter Scott last year, The Post and Courier reports. Former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager is accused of murdering an African-American man during a traffic stop in April 2015. The trial date will remain Oct. 31. This trial date could mean overlapping trials for Slager and Dylann Roof, the man accused of murdering nine parishioners of a Charleston church in June 2015. Slager could face as much as life in prison.