text size: A | A | A
Attorney Outraged by Arrests
   posted 1:30 pm Wed April 09, 2008 - Charleston, SC
ABC News 4 - Attorney Outraged by Arrests
  ABC News 4 - Share Attorney Outraged by Arrests  ABC News 4 - Print Attorney Outraged by Arrests  ABC News 4 - Email Attorney Outraged by Arrests  ABC News 4 - RSS Feeds  ABC News 4 - Send Attorney Outraged by Arrests via Instant Messager
ABC News 4 - Share This Article
Stay on top of breaking news! Sign up for ABC News 4 e-mail alerts.
Your Email:  

The fallout continues from an alleged gambling operation busted late friday. Investigators say another group of adults involved, plans to turn themselves in Wednesday night. 

Among them, Charleston City Police Officer Michael Mcelveen. His attorney tells us he was unavailable Monday night when ten others came forward. Authorities say they're in the process of serving 191 warrants for what they say was well organized gambling, but some are calling the investigation a waste of time.

In ten months time, Charleston County investigators uncovered an attorney, a police officer and dozens of other upstanding Charlestonians, all allegedly on the other side of the law. 

All a waste of time to defense attorney Andy Savage. 

"I don't think you can go home and play go fish with your children tonight if this is how it's gonna be interpreted," said Savage. 

Sheriff Al Cannon responded to a similar comment Monday, defending the law as being reasonably enforced. 

"That's not my interpretation of the law and I don't think any police officer out here is going to charge a grandma for playing UNO," said Cannon. 

Cannon says when cards turns into cash, and a significant amount, things change. 

But Savage insists, regardless of the money allegedly involved in this case, he says the accused are being wrongfully treated. His anger stemming from the booking of ten individuals who turned themselves in. The suspects sat at tables outside the jail and met with masked undercover officers. Savage says he's never seen any arrest handled the same way. 

"It was a costume party last night, not a booking process. The Sheriff's office ought to be humiliated by the way they acted," said Savage.

The Sheriff's Office tells us the booking was handled the way investigators thought they could best expedite the process. That's why several officers were seated at a table. But for the additional arrests expected Wednesday, the department has decided to move the booking inside the jail.

Latest Comment on Attorney Outraged by Arrests
RMabry
There has always been some-sort-of an unspoken feud between the CCSD and CPD so perhaps the moment the CCSD found out in there investigation that a CPD officer was involved, well you know the rest. It makes very good news too, notice that the first individual mentioned in every article was Charleston's finest. I feel bad for the CCSD officer who is caught speeding in CPD territory; ha-ha; just kidding I'm sure that would never-ever happen.

It is hard to believe that so many resources have been put forward on this and it does seem odd about the ski masks. That does seem really odd. (Are they embarrassed? Or hiding from CPD officers?) Why the masks? It doesn?t look right.

Statistically we are 4th worst state in crime in the entire country and now even one of the worst places to raise children? Some people say we just keep better criminal statistics than other states but people in other states say the same thing about their own states? figures too. My point is that our quest to improve seems flawed.

This is the most unbelievable case in this tri-county?s history.

     
»
 read all comments
You need to be a registered member of
ABC News 4 to leave comments on news stories.
Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.
Username or Email Address
Password
Please leave your comments below:
Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.


TM & © TM & © WCIV-TV, LLC.
Please read our Privacy Policy. By using this site, you accept our Terms of Service.
Children's Television | EEO Reports | ABC News 4 adheres to the ICRA RATING SYSTEM

Pages throughout the ABC News 4 website feature links to other sites, some of which are operated by companies unrelated to ABC News 4.
ABC News 4 has no control over the content or availability of any linked site.

Legal Notices. "TM & © WCIV-TV, LLC", recognizes the privacy interests of visitors to this site on the Internet.

Satellite Home Viewer Act Information | ABC News 4 EEO Reports CLICK HERE
{ts '2008-04-10 10:39:10'}