Last Updated on 5/30/2012

Published on 2/1/2012

The 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office — as well as the South Carolina and U.S. Attorney General’s Offices — have all decided there is no evidence to warrant a requested investigation of the Georgetown Police Department.
In October, retired attorney and former Georgetown Mayor Tom Rubillo and 29 others signed a petition asking for the investigation into the handling of the Joey Pope murder case which was in court in July.
The petition contained allegations of perjury, witness intimidation, bribery, obstruction of justice and criminal conspiracy.
Mark Plowden, spokesman for S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, said Tuesday most of the issues contained in the petition were heard by a judge in Georgetown County last year.
“We do not plan to refer it for additional investigation,” Plowden said.
He also said he has communicated with the U.S Attorney General’s Office and “they concluded the same thing.”
Solicitor Greg Hembree said his office is not launching an investigation based on the petition.
Pope’s widow, Keri Pope, and his cousin, Chris Miller, were arrested in 2008 and charged with the 2003 murder. Keri Pope was acquitted as the result of a directed verdict issued by Judge Steven John.
Miller was found “not guilty” of the murder charge by a jury but was convicted of conspiracy.
One of the things cited in the petition was a letter that was written by Investigator Glen Kufen to Jody Ward, serving two life sentences for a double murder. The letter promised various favors in exchange for useful testimony. That letter was not made available to the defense in the Pope case during the discovery period. The petition alleges Kufen and Police Chief Paul Gardner “actively tried to conceal” the letter which was discovered when the defense was questioning Ward a few days before the trial.
At a pretrial hearing in April, Kufen denied making any promises to Ward.
Judge Steven John ruled there was no criminal intent on the part of the police department to hide the letter.
Hembree said Tuesday he agreed, which is why he feels an investigation into the police department is not needed.
“Georgetown police made a mistake, there is no question about that. But, as the judge ruled, there was no evidence this was an intentional act,” Hembree said.
Hembree also said the police department “went the extra mile” in trying to make sure everything was provided to the defense during discovery. As a result of what happened, new procedures have been put in place to try to keep a similar incident from happening in the future.
Rubillo said Tuesday he is not surprised at the decisions not to investigate.
“That proves justice is not even-handed. It is a government of men, not of laws. Some people are above the law. Or, at least they think they are,” Rubillo said.
Gardner says the decisions by the different levels is what he was also expecting.
“I was confident from day one of the unfounded allegations that this day would come. The results of the state and federal inquiries speak for themselves,” Gardner stated. “I want to thank citizens and our elected officials that have supported us the entire time. I am happy that this unnecessary distraction is behind us. Now it is time for the focus to return to the great work our police officers do protecting the citizens of the City of Georgetown.”

By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com