8.22.2009

The Gary Burgess verdict

A brilliant defense has led to a “not guilty” verdict for Gary Burgess, the former Anderson, S.C., superintendent of District 4 schools arrested in a local park in April and charged with “soliciting for immoral purposes.”

At the time I initially wrote about the arrest of Greenville, S.C., businessman John Gilbert Ludwig in the Maserati crash which killed a man, I reported Burgess’ arrest. See my post of 4 May 2009: LINK

In the newspaper account linked below, arresting officers’ testimony was very explicit about sexual innuendos, but Burgess claimed he was at the park to work on his book and “eat a Happy Meal.”

According to local reports, Burgess’ attorney Fletcher Smith ignored the homosexual aspects of the testimony and argued that a city cannot have a law which targets one group of its citizens. He further argued that city law is too vague in defining “immoral purposes.” Smith said the verdict shows Anderson “is ready to operate in the 21st Century.”

The jury delivered its verdict after 20 minutes of deliberation.

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DON'T MISS: “Former school superintendent found not guilty of morals charge,” Liz Carey, Anderson Independent-Mail, 21 August 2009: LINK

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ATTENTION NEW VISITORS: Welcome to DemWit. I hope you will take 30 minutes this weekend to read the very important post from yesterday HERE. It might just blow your mind! At the very least, you will be enlightened. Thanks, BJ

2 comments:

Sue said...

mornin BJ, hows that bloogy break been for ya! get some rest girlfriend! xo

B.J. said...

LOL, Sue-per! I covered two S.C. criminal cases pretty extensively back in May so I owe it to my readers (and lots are coming via google from South Carolina) to comment on a verdict.

It’s 4:20 p.m. Saturday, and the rest has JUST BEGUN.

BOOK TIME!

BJ