In Bowen Case, Prosecutor Aims to Become Judge

South Carolina has a unique way of doing things that sets it apart from other states. One example is the appointment of judges by the General Assembly, which is still practiced in only two states, including South Carolina. The potential consequences of this approach are significant, especially when it comes to the Judicial System and the risk of corruption.

As per Ballotpedia, South Carolina stands out as one of the two states in the United States where the General Assembly elects judges rather than the governor or voters.

South Carolinians were filled with indignation in March 2022 when they discovered the special treatment given to Bowen Turner. The situation was not just about the charges he confessed to compared to what he was accused of, but it also involved the main personalities, which many believe is a tragic circumstance.

Bowen Turner faced accusations of rape from three women, with one incident occurring while he was out on bond for the first two. As the son of an attorney investigator, Turner was a privileged individual with connections. Brad Hutto, a South Carolina Senator and Lawyer, defended Turner’s case. Meanwhile, David Miller, who is vying for a circuit court judge position, served as the prosecutor in the case.

According to scstatehouse.gov, the Circuit Court is divided into judicial circuits, as per Article V, Section 13 of the S.C. Constitution. Currently, there are 33 resident judges and 13 at-large judges. The General Assembly elects a judge or judges for each circuit through a joint public vote. Before being presented for election by the General Assembly, candidates for the Circuit Court must first be screened and found qualified by the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, as per Article V, Section 27 of the S.C. Constitution.

Brad Hutto will be the one to vote on David Miller’s appointment to judge.

A lot of people in SC are fed up with the political favors or the mere appearance of such favors. The state recently witnessed the Murdaugh Murders, where State Senator Dick Harpootlian defended the convicted murderer, Alex Murdaugh. While we’ll delve into the similarities between Bowen Turner and Paul Murdaugh in the future, for now, this issue takes the center stage.

Live5News reports that Miller’s public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. at the Gressette Building in Columbia in front of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission. If approved, he would still need to be approved by the full state legislature before he could take the bench.