CAMPAIGN MEMORANDUM

Memo: New Research Shows Vince Sheheen Defended Sex Offenders, Child Molesters, and Spouse Abusers for Pay
Sheheen’s personal judgment comes into question

Date: April 9, 2014
From: Matt Moore, SCGOP Chairman
To: Interested Parties
Vince Sheheen has been in public office for a decade and a half.  His family has been South Carolina political royalty since the early 1980s. He has been running for governor non-stop for the last five years.

But in truth, South Carolina doesn’t know who Vince Sheheen is. We know his income has quadrupled since he became a legislator but we don’t know exactly why. We don’t know how many times he has sued state agencies. We don’t know how much money he has made off of local governments. And we don’t know who his clients are. We don’t know any of this because Vince refuses to tell us.

Fortunately, that’s starting to change. Last week The State newspaper started peeling the cover off of the slick Vince Sheheen facade. Candidate-Vince wants to be governor and wants South Carolinians to entrust him with the oversight of our pardons and parole system, yet lawyer-Vince has proven he will sell out South Carolinas children, women, and victims if it means he can personally cash a paycheck.

But there is a lot more to Vince’s profiting from defending hardened criminals than The State’s recent report indicates.

And South Carolinians deserve to know exactly who Vince Sheheen is and what that means before casting a vote in this year’s general election. Let me walk you through new information that court records has revealed about the kind of work Vince Sheheen does for money.

First, registered sexual offender Isaiah Outten, who according to court records has continually abused and assaulted children. Outten provided alcohol and marijuana to two underage children and enticed them into his vehicle. He then took one of the underage girls (under 15 years old) to the woods near her home, where he had sex with her. Outten pled guilty and faced 10 years in prison, where those who prey on our children belong, but Vince Sheheen negotiated Outten’s sentence down to only 38 days time already served and 5 years probation. THIRTY EIGHTY DAYS.

And then what happened? Outten was arrested 13 more times for crimes including hitting a man with a crowbar, failing to register as a sex offender, TWICE again being found in hotel rooms with underage children, and possession of cocaine near a school and disorderly conduct. 

But there’s more.

As Midlands law enforcement authorities and community leaders work overtime to make our neighborhoods safer, Vince Sheheen makes money trying to get drug dealers and violent criminals off the hook.

One man who hired Vince Sheheen to work the system was Mark Alexander. Arrested on assault and drug charges, Alexander was using a local Kershaw County church as cover for his drug dealing, and when officers tried to stop Alexander, he attempted to flee, ramming a Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department vehicle in an effort to inflict “great bodily harm” according to public records. With Vince Sheheen’s help, Alexander pled down to a non-violent charge and sentenced merely to time served. THIRTY DAYS. 

Another man, James Dixon, sought to leverage Vince Sheheen’s influence over the legal system when he was arrested distributing crack cocaine near a school. He also assaulted the arresting law enforcement officer. Once again, in this case, Sheheen ensured the offender received a lighter sentence even in the face of charges that he endangered children and assaulted those whose job it is to protect our cities and towns.

Below, you will find additional background on these cases.

Vince Sheheen is a trial lawyer. He has every right to make his living that way. But there are trial lawyers, and there are trial lawyers. The voters of South Carolina deserve to know the details of what Vince Sheheen actually does as a trial lawyer. Vince Sheheen was paid for reducing jail time for wife beaters, child molesters, drug dealers, and people who attack and abuse police officers.

South Carolina deserves better from anyone wanting to serve as governor. Vince Sheheen is unfit to serve.

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Isiah Outten

In the fall of 1999, Isiah Outten was arrested for disturbing a school; contributing to the delinquency of a minor and criminal sexual conduct with a minor 2nd degree.

Description of Offense from Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department:

Disturbing School: That Isiah Junior Outten did in Kershaw County on or about October 13, 1999, willfully disturb a school, to wit: the defendant fought with another in the rear parking lot at Camden High School.

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor: That on November 13, 1999 between 8:50PM. and 11:00 PM. the defendant Isiah Outten Jr. did knowingly and willfully allow or give a child (A.J. and B.C.) some Icehouse beer and some marijuana in which he engaged her to be involved in a violation of the law and did so deport himself as to willfully injure or endanger her morals or health or the morals or health of others. This incident took place in the Pickett Thomas Acres Camden. In Kershaw County South Carolina. Witnesses and statements to prove the same.

The defendant Isiah Junior Outten did open the door to a 1988 white in color jeep Cherokee SC tag 816-EED, while at 506 DeKalb St. within the city limits of Camden, and invited minor children (A.J. and B.C.), into the vehicle to leave the area without the children’s parents’ permission, with the intent to commit a crime therein. Investigation by the Camden Police Department, statement to prove the same.

Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor 2nd Degree: That on November 13, 1999 between 8:50PM. And 11:00PM. the defendant Isiah Outten Jr. did engage in sexual battery by having sexual intercourse with a child (A.J.), the victim between eleven and fourteen years old, and the defendant more than three years older than her. This incident took place in the woods in Pickett Thomas Acres Camden, in Kershaw County South Carolina. Witnesses and statements to prove the same.

On January 18, 2000, with Vincent Sheheen named as his defense attorney Outten pled guilty to disturbing school; contributing to the delinquency of a minor and criminal sexual conduct with a minor 2nd degree.

·Outten was sentenced to 10 years time.

·Outten’s sentence was negotiated to 38 days time already served and 5 years probation.

Outten was arrested multiple times while still on probation, including but not limited to:

·On May 28, 2002, for contributing to the delinquency of a minor by allowing her to have beer.

·Outten was arrested in a hotel room with a thirteen year old female, fourteen year old female and sixteen year old female

·On August 31, 2002 for public disorderly conduct.

·Outten was arrested in a hotel room with a 14 year old juvenile and alcohol present.

·On October 23, 2002 for failure to register address as a sex offender.

·On February 19, 2003, for possession of alcohol by a minor.

·On March 26, 2003, for being found in the possession of an altered urine sample with the attempt to defraud a drug test.

·On June 16, 2004, for possession of cocaine within proximity of a school in Lexington County.

·On February 23, 2005, for assault and battery.

In 2006 Outten again pled guilty to and sex offender registry violation, fail to register and  manufacture, distribution, etc. of cocaine base  (Kershaw County Fifth Judicial Circuit Public Index, publicindex.sccourts.org/kershaw/publicindex/, Accessed 11/16/13)

In 2008, Outten was featured on WIS’ Midlands’ Most Wanted list after being accused of hitting a man in the face with a crowbar.  “West Columbia police say Isiah Outten has turned himself in. He is accused of a hitting a man in the face with a crowbar in November. Police say Outten agreed to turn himself in right after the incident, but did not do it until after he was featured on the Midlands’ Most Wanted.” (“Isiah Outten,” WIS, Accessed 11/26/13)

Mark A. Alexander

On May 6, 2011, Alexander was arrested for malicious injury to animals, personal property, injury value $2,000 or less; manufacturing possession of other sub. in Sch I, II, III or flunitrazepam or analogue, w.i.t.d.- 1st offense and assault and battery- 1st degree.

Description of Offenses from the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office:

PWID Marijuana 1st: That on May 6, 2011 in the county of Kershaw , State of South Carolina one Mark Anthony Alexander did aid, abet, attempt or conspire to manufacture, distribute, dispense, deliver, purchase and or possess a quantity of growing marijuana plants with the intent to manufacture, distribute, dispense, deliver same.  The aforesaid marijuana plants are growing behind Flint Hill Baptist Church. The Defendant was observed by officers of the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department touching and taking care of the aforesaid plants. The Defendant removing one of the marijuana plants and removing it to a vehicle owned by him parked near the growing site. This incident did occur in the county and state as aforesaid at 2045 Flint Hill Road.

Assault and Battery 1st Degree: That on May 6, 2011 in the county of Kershaw , State of South Carolina one Mark Anthony Alexander did intentionally us a motor vehicle operated and driven by him to ram a police vehicle operated by Lt. Kirk Willis of the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department. The Defendant did so in an attempt to escape agents of  aforesaid agency in the area of a marijuana-growing site being cultivated and cared for by the Defendant. The Defendant’s aforesaid act was accomplished by means likely to produce death or great bodily injury, inasmuch as the vehicle struck was occupied by Lt. Willis, who was put in peril of immediate threat of great bodily injury. This incident did occur in the county and state as aforesaid at 2045 Flint Hill Road.

Malicious Injury to Personal Property: that Mark A. Alexander did in Kershaw County on or about May 6, 2011, willfully and maliciously cut, injure, mutilate, deface or otherwise injure the property of Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department, to wit: hit a police vehicle, damages totaling more than one thousand ($1,000) but less than five thousand ($5,000) dollars.

On September 21, 2011, with Vincent Sheheen named as his defense attorney Alexander pled guilty only to non-violent malicious injury to animals, personal property injury value $2,000 or less.

·Alexander was sentenced to 30 days time already served.

Alexander Buddy Robinson Jr.

On May 5, 2001, Robinson was arrested for burglary- 1st degree; criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature and felony kidnapping.

·Robinson had two or more prior convictions for burglary.

Description of Offenses from Officer Danny Catoe:

Burglary- 1st Degree: That on 5-5-2001 the defendant Alex B. Robinson did enter with force the dwelling house of Levern Jeffers located at 1722 Thunderwood Rd. in Lugoff, by pushing his way into the home while the home was presently occupied and during his time did commit the crime of kidnapping. This incident took place in Kershaw County, South Carolina, affiant and witness to prove the same.

Criminal Domestic Violence of a High and Aggravated Nature: That Alex B. Robinson did in Kershaw County on or about the 5th day of May, 2001, unlawfully cause physical harm to his girlfriend, Tina Nunn constituting an unlawful of violent injury to the person of the said victim, accompanied by circumstances of aggravation, to wit: the defendant pulled the victim out of bed and forced her into his truck against her will and there is a disparity between in sex between the defendant and the victim.

Felony Kidnapping: That Alex B. Robinson did in Kershaw County on or about the 5th day of May, 2001, unlawfully seize, confine, inveigle, kidnap, abduct or carry away any person to wit: Tina B. Nunn, by any means whatsoever without authority of law.

The Kershaw County Court of General Sessions ordered Robinson undergo psychiatric evaluation and Robinson was found competent to stand trial.

·Robinson’s psychiatric evaluation said “according to his family, the patient ‘gets violent with his women.’”

On October 16, 2001, with Vincent Sheheen named as his defense attorney Robinson pled guilty to non-violent burglary in the 2nd degree and non-violent criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature.

·Robinson was sentenced to three years time.

James Dixon Jr.

In September 2002, Dixon was arrested for assault and battery while resisting arrest; distribution of crack cocaine and distribute, sell, purchase, manuf. crack cocaine, or pwid, near school.

Description of Offense from Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department:

Assault and Battery Wile Resisting Arrest: The one James Dixon did head butt Lt. David Dowey of the Kershaw County Sheriff Office after being place under arrest this took place at Wateree Villa in Camden, SC Kershaw County

Distribution of Crack Cocaine: The one James Dixon did distribute a quantity of crack cocaine to an under cover agent that works with the Kershaw County Sheriff  Office this took place 13D Wateree Villa in Camden, SC Kershaw County.

On July 31, 2003, with Vincent Sheheen named as his defense attorney Dixon pled guilty to a lesser charges of resisting arrest non-violent and distribution of crack cocaine.

·Dixon received a negotiated sentence of 5 ½ year’s time.

James Wadell Anthony

On August 30, 2003, Anthony was arrested for driving under the influence 3rd offense.

Description of Offense from Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department:

Driving Under the Influence 3rd Offense: That James W. Anthony did in Kershaw County on or about the 30th day of August, 2003, drive a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquors, and/or narcotic drugs, barbiturates, paraldehydes drugs and herbs: To the extent that his ability to drive a vehicle was materially and appreciably impaired, such not being the first offense within a period of ten years including and immediately preceding the forgoing date.

On January 12, 2004, with Vincent Sheheen named as his defense attorney Anthony pled guilty to a lesser charge of driving under the influence 2nd offense.

·Anthony was sentenced to one year and a $1,000 fine.

·Anthony’s sentences was suspended after 48 hours and negotiated to a $1,000 fine and 15 months probation.

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