DRUG LAB SPEEDS UP COURT CASES

BEAUFORT -- Beaufort County's drug lab already has made an impact on
getting criminal drug cases moved through the system in its first six
months of operation, Deputy Solicitor Steve Knight said.

The lab is handling new drug cases, as well as a 2-year-old backlog.

"Now we get the reports from next door," Knight said. "We also don't have
to coordinate with the chemist in Columbia because (Beaufort's chemist) can
walk from her office and testify."

In some cases, Knight said the lab helped prevent drug dealers from getting
a reduced bond and being released because the case will come before court
in weeks rather than years.

Nathaniel Mims of Burton was arrested in May for trafficking crack cocaine,
possession of crack and simple possession of marijuana. Mims was convicted
last week in General Sessions Court and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Before the drug lab, Knight said, it would have been impossible to get that
case through the system in less than two years.

Knight said his goal is to get cases in court within 120 days. He said the
drug lab has been crucial in getting cases tried in that amount of time.

"Before, we might be waiting two years for a drug report from (the State
Law Enforcement Division)," Knight said.

In September's term of General Sessions Court, Knight said solicitors were
able to clear 23 drug cases, ranging from simple possession to drug
trafficking offenses.

But Sheriff P.J. Tanner said he'd like to see even quicker action in the
court system. Tanner said the law enforcement end of the equation was up to
speed on the cases.

"We've got hundreds of cases ready to go," Tanner said Thursday. "Let's get
them in the court and let's get some convictions."

Tanner wouldn't give any specific numbers Thursday, but said the drug lab
has worked through the backlog of cases that came back from the State Law
Enforcement Division lab in the spring. He expects to have hard numbers
next week.

Tanner said the Sheriff's Office had more than 300 cases at SLED waiting
for lab reports. Since April, the drug lab has worked on getting the
chemical analysis done on the drug evidence in the case.

"I'm not blaming the Solicitor's Office," Tanner said. "I think they're
overwhelmed with cases."

But, Tanner said, even a slight lag can mean a dealer is back on the street.

"We end up having to spend more time and manpower on these guys and
investigating them again," he said. "Let's get them in court on the charges
we already have against them."

The sheriff said getting sentences, such as the one in the Mims case, can
be effective in sending a message, but the cases have to be moved
expeditiously.

"I'd like to see an extra week of court devoted only to drug cases until we
get this backlog cleared," Tanner said.