GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - A former sheriff in South Carolina freed on bond as he appeals his conviction and one-year prison sentence on a misconduct charge has not filed those court documents nearly seven months later.
A lawyer for former Greenville County Sheriff Will Lewis said the delay was first caused by a hold up getting the transcripts of court hearings and later by concerns about the coronavirus.
Lewis was convicted in October of misconduct for using his power as sheriff to hire a 22-year-old woman as his assistant, paying her more than double the average starting salary for a deputy and pushing her to have sex with him.
Court documents obtained by The Greenville News show it took five months for Lewis’ attorney, Rauch Wise, to get the transcripts of Lewis’ trial and the hearing where a judge decided he could stay out of jail while appealing his conviction.
In April, Wise asked and was given an extension to file the appeal because he hadn’t been able to meet with Lewis to discuss the court papers because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another extension to file the appeal was granted Tuesday, but court papers didn’t include an explanation.
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