By Felicia Kitzmiller
Charges against former Lyman
police officer Michael Hames will be decided at trial, according to his
attorney.
During a status hearing
Thursday, Hames' attorney Joshua Schwultz told Circuit Judge Roger Couch
charges against Hames will proceed to trial.
Hames is charged with misconduct in office and obstruction of justice and is
accused of destroying evidence possibly related to an illegal dumping case.
“We're not sure when it will
be, but we will continue to assert his innocence all through this process, and
we look forward to trial,” Schultz said after the hearing.
According to warrants from the
State Law Enforcement Division, between Aug. 12-16, Hames “knowingly, willfully
and dishonestly” altered and then destroyed evidence in an active criminal
investigation with the intent to interfere with the proper administration of
justice.
Hames was arrested in January.
The case is being prosecuted by
the S.C. Attorney General's Office.
The destruction of evidence
happened days after Greer waste hauler Timothy Howard was given a hearing
related to suspicions of illegal dumping. Hames responded to a call about
Howard possibly dumping into the Lyman sewer system through a grease trap in a
vacant Denny's parking lot on June 18, according to reports. The grease trap and
several pieces of Howard's equipment later tested positive for PCBs,
polychlorinated biphenyls, an illegal, cancer-causing substance that infected
four Upstate sewer systems last summer and was also found in grease traps in
Columbia and Charlotte, N.C.
The PCB outbreak sparked a
state and federal investigation involving SLED, the FBI, S.C. Department of
Health and Environmental Control and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
No charges have been filed in the PCB outbreak case, but Howard was charged
with perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to statements he made
during the investigation.
During a status hearing earlier
this month, Howard's attorney said he expected his client's case to “work
itself out to a plea,” but asked it be rescheduled because of an ongoing
federal investigation. The assistant state attorney prosecuting the case told
the judge if it could be rescheduled after July 1 it would not have to be
delayed again.
Hames worked with the Lyman
police department for 11 years and previously worked in fire service and with
Spartanburg County EMS. After he was arrested, he was placed on administrative
leave and officially terminated the day he was indicted by a grand jury on Feb.
21.
Hames' personnel file revealed
theft charges leveled against him from a previous employer that were later
withdrawn after Hames paid for the item, a $500 aircard bill that had to be
repaid to Lyman, and accusations he allowed a DUI suspect to improperly leave a
scene. Lyman Mayor Rodney Turner said the accusations were a result of
“personality conflicts” and he found Hames to be a hardworking and trustworthy
person.
Lyman Town Council unanimously
decided in March to allow Hames, formerly a sergeant at the police department,
to keep his K9.
