Here are the new rules, punishments for having a cellphone in a SC prison
HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR THIS MORNING. WE BEGIN WITH A REVISION TO THE DEATH TOLL IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY AFTER HURRICANE HELENE. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS IT OVER COUNTED DEATHS BY AS MANY AS 30 OFFICIALS IN THE COUNTY PREVIOUSLY REPORTED 72 DEATHS. AND NOW THEY’RE AGREEING WITH A STATE TALLY OF 42. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE CITES SEVERAL FACTORS, FROM UPDATED CAUSES OF DEATH TO COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS AFTER THE STORM. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REPORTS 96 DEATHS FROM HELENE STATEWIDE. NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR ROY COOPER IS NOW DESCRIBING HELENE AS THE DEADLIEST TROPICAL STORM IN THE STATE’S HISTORY. OUR ISABELLE MARAK JOINS US LIVE THIS MORNING FROM BUNCOMBE COUNTY, WHERE A VIGIL WAS HELD LAST NIGHT, ISABELLE. ERIN, LAST NIGHT, HUNDREDS GATHERED HERE AT THIS PARK, ALL TO REMEMBER THE DEVASTATION LEFT BEHIND FROM HURRICANE HELENE. FAMILIES GATHERED TO HEAR FROM PASTORS, LISTEN TO MUSIC, SING TOGETHER, CRY TOGETHER AND PRAY TOGETHER. PEOPLE ALSO LIT THEIR CANDLES IN UNITY, CREATING A POWERFUL PICTURE OF HOPE AND SOLIDARITY IN THE COMMUNITY. AND LATER TODAY, TEACHERS WILL BE RETURNING TO BUNCOMBE COUNTY SCHOOLS, ALL BEFORE STUDENTS HEAD BACK ON FRIDAY, REPORTING LIVE IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY. I’M ISABELLE MARAK FOR WYFF NEWS FOUR ISABELLE. THANK YOU. SPECTRUM WOES CONTINUE ACROSS OUR REGION, BUT THE COMPANY IS PROVIDING NEW HOPE FOR THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS THAT ARE STILL OFFLINE. SPECTRUM SAYS THE UPDATED ESTIMATED TIME TO RESTORE SERVICES TO ACCESSIBLE HOMES IN OUR AREA IS TOMORROW AND WEEKS AFTER THE STORM. SEVERAL PEOPLE AROUND OUR REGION ARE STILL DEALING WITH DOWNED TREES AS WELL. OUR TEAM SPOKE WITH ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES ABOUT THE INCREASE IN BUSINESS TODAY. WELL, ERIN TREE REMOVAL SERVICES ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK. STILL TO CLEAN THE AREA. NOW, THE OWNER OF CARSON TREE COMPANY SAYS SINCE HALLOWEEN THEY GET ABOUT 75 CALLS A DAY, AND THEY’RE WORKING FROM SUN UP TO SUN DOWN. BEN CARSON SAYS HIS CREW HAS SINCE DOUBLED IN SIZE. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS AFTER HALLOWEEN. CARSON SAYS THEY RESPONDED TO MORE THAN 45 EMERGENCY CALLS WITH TREES ON HOMES, SOME HAVING AS MANY AS FOUR TREES ON TOP OF THEM. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING A TREE REMOVAL SERVICE, CARSON SAYS YOU SHOULD MAKE SURE THE COMPANY HAS GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE AND WORKMAN’S COMP. CARSON SAYS IT MAY BE SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE ALL THE TREES ARE REMOVED. ERIN TANIQUA. THANK YOU. A NEW FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER IS OPENING IN OCONEE COUNTY. IT’S AT THE COUNTY LAND EDUCATION CAMPUS ON VOCATIONAL DRIVE IN SENECA AND IT’S OPEN TODAY, TOMORROW AND FRIDAY FROM 8 A.M. TO 7 P.M. TO FIND THE OTHER DRC LOCATIONS, YOU CAN GO TO FEMA, DOT GOV SLASH DRC OR TEXT DRC IN A ZIP CODE TO 43362. THE GENERAL ELECTION IS SHAPING UP TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CLOSELY WATCHED OF OUR LIFETIME, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS YOU CAN WATCH CLOSELY ON ELECTION NIGHT. YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WYFF4.COM OR DOWNLOAD THE WIFE NEWS FOUR APP, AND YOU’LL FIND UP TO THE MINUTE ELECTION RESULTS THAT ARE MORE ACCURATE THAN EVER. BUT HERE’S AMY LU WITH MORE DETAILS ON OUR COMMITMENT. 2024 RESULTS TRACKER. WHETHER IT’S THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT, GOVERNOR, CONGRESS OR HUNDREDS OF OTHER HOTLY CONTESTED RACES IN YOUR COMMUNITY, WE’VE GOT JUST THE TICKET FOR YOU TO TRACK THE RACES ON YOUR TICKET. LET’S START WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WE DON’T HAVE A BIG NATIONAL ELECTION FOR PRESIDENT. THE WINNING CANDIDATE NEEDS 270 ELECTORAL VOTES TO WIN THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY GET ELECTORAL VOTES BY WINNING STATEWIDE ELECTIONS. AND OUR ELECTORAL COLLEGE TRACKER, POWERED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, WILL SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHERE KAMALA HARRIS AND DONALD TRUMP STAND IN EACH STATE. AS VOTES ARE COUNTED AND WHICH STATES ARE NEEDED TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY. OUR INTERACTIVE MAP WILL HAVE EASY TO READ DETAILS AND BREAKDOWNS LIKE COUNTY BY COUNTY RESULTS, OR YOU CAN TRACK HOW MANY BALLOTS HAVE BEEN COUNTED AND HOW MANY ARE LEFT TO GO. AND WHEN STATES ARE CALLED, YOU’LL SEE THAT IMMEDIATELY UPDATED. AND THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE COUNT. WE’LL ALSO BE PROVIDING SECOND BY SECOND COMPREHENSIVE BREAKDOWNS OF ALL THE RACES THAT MATTER TO YOU. HERE’S ONE EXAMPLE FROM OUR SISTER STATION IN PENNSYLVANIA. IT’S ONE OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE RACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT WILL BE WATCHING THAT COULD DECIDE THE BALANCE OF POWER ON CAPITOL HILL. YOU’LL ALSO BE ABLE TO TRACK HUNDREDS OF HOTLY CONTESTED RACES IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMUNITY. RACES LIKE CITY COUNCIL OR SCHOOL BOARD. WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED FROM THE TOP OF THE BALLOT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, GIVING YOU THE LATEST VOTE TALLIES AS THEY COME IN. FOR COMMITMENT 2024, I’M AMY LU, FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TULSI GABBARD SAYS SHE’LL BE JOINING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. SHE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT DURING A TRUMP RALLY IN NORTH CAROLINA. GABBARD RECENTLY JOINED THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AS AN HONORARY CO-CHAIR FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S TRANSITION TEAM, ALONGSIDE ROBERT F KENNEDY JR. WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS NOW UNTIL ELECTION DAY, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE ALREADY DECIDED WHO THEY WANT FOR PRESIDENT. EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY, AND MORE THAN 20 MILLION BALLOTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CAST. THAT’S ACCORDING TO DATA FROM 47 STATES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IN SOUTH CAROLINA, THAT NUMBER IS AT MORE THAN 125,000. IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE VOTED. AND IN GEORGIA, MORE THAN 1.8 MILLION BALLOTS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. SYDNEY. WELL, ERIN, WE ARE LOOKING AT ANOTHER MILD DAY AHEAD. TEMPERATURES STILL ON THE CHILLY SIDE, AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING. THAT’S BEEN THE THEME THE LAST WEEK OR SO AS THOSE CLEAR SKIES ALLOW OUR TEMPERATURES TO FALL EVEN COLDER. SO WE’RE WAKING UP MAINLY IN THE 40S RIGHT NOW, BUT AS WE HEAD THROUGHOUT THE DAY, ESPECIALLY ONCE THE SUN IS UP, TEMPERATURES WILL RISE VERY QUICKLY. WE’LL TOP OUT RIGHT NEAR 80 DEGREES. THIS AFTERNOON. ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH ABOUT FIVE. THAT’S WHERE WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES. SO IF YOU’RE TRYING TO AVOID THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY EARLIER THAN ABOUT 3:00 WOULD BE BETTER OR RIGHT TOWARDS SUNSET. OTHERWISE, IT’S GOING TO BE NONETHELESS BEAUTIFUL, THOUGH. SUNSHINE, MILD TEMPERATURES ALL DAY LONG AND REALLY AREA WIDE. BUT WE DO HAVE A MAJOR COOLDOWN HEADED OUR WAY. SO COMING UP, I’LL HAVE A CLOSER LOOK AS TO WHEN THAT COOLDOWN ARRIVES AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FOUR-DAY PLUS FORECAST. AARON. SYDNEY. WE’RE STILL FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS ON THE ROADS THIS MORNING. A CRASH ON I-85 SOUTH AT EXIT 68 IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE WELLFORD EXIT. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE ON THE LEFT HAND LANE AREA THERE. THE SLOWDOWN SLOWING DOWN. IT’S NOT STOPPING, WHICH IS CERTAINLY SOME GOOD NEWS THIS MORNING IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. THAT SAID, FURTHER DOWN ON 85 SOUTH, WE ARE SEEING A SLOWDOWN AS WELL. OUR TRAVEL TIMES REFLECT THAT FROM THE AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD. THAT’S AT 11 MINUTES USUALLY AT SIX. I RECOMMEND AS OF RIGHT NOW, LEAVING FIVE, MAYBE TEN MINUTES EARLY. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY SINGLE MORNING. THE OTHER TWO LOOK GREAT THOUGH 12 MINUTES AND 13 MINUTES. THE NEW SPINKS MARKET OPENS IN GREENVILLE’S WEST END THIS MORNING ON SOUTH MAIN STREET IN THE FORMER COOK STATION LOCATION. WE’RE TOLD IT WILL OFFER LOCAL FOOD, DRINKS AND PRODUCTS FROM BUSINESSES LIKE METHODICAL COFFEE, SWAMP RABBIT CAFE AND TWIN CREEK FARMS. IT WILL BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM 5 A.M. TO 2 A.M. THE SPARTANBURG WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S IS TAKING PLACE THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26TH AT BARNETT PARK. THE REGISTRATION FOR THAT STARTS AT 10 A.M. IT’S FREE TO REGISTER AND YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER THE DAY OF THE WALK. THE OPENING CEREMONY STARTS AT 1045, WITH THE WALK TO FOLLOW FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCK A’JA WILSON’S JERSEY WILL BE RETIRED IN A PREGAME CEREMONY AT COLONIAL LIFE ARENA. FITTINGLY, THE CEREMONY WILL HAPPEN ON FEBRUARY SECOND AS TWO TWO AS A TRIBUTE TO WILSON’S JERSEY NUMBER, WHICH IS 22. WILSON ALSO HOLDS A TOTAL OF 22 PROGRAM RECORDS. SHE’S NOW WON TWO WNBA CHAMPIONSHIPS AND IS A THREE TIME LEAGU
Here are the new rules, punishments for having a cellphone in a SC prison
Updated: 7:29 AM EDT Oct 23, 2024
There is a new law in South Carolina regarding cellphones in prisons. Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela S. Evette held a ceremonial bill signing of H. 4002, the Captain Robert Johnson Act this week. The bill creates a new criminal offense for unlawful possession of a telecommunications device by an inmate of the South Carolina Department of Corrections unless authorized by the director. “The use of contraband cell phones and other communication devices to orchestrate crime both inside and outside of prison has been a serious threat that has had devastating consequences for innocent people across our state,” said McMaster. “Thanks to the leadership of Director Stirling, we have made tremendous progress in shutting down these devices. Today’s bill signing builds on our success, further strengthening our prisons’ security and protecting our communities from these criminals.”The bill defines a telecommunications device as any device that enables communication with individuals inside or outside of a correctional facility. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, handheld radios, portable two‑way pagers, laptop computers, or any components of these devices. Telecommunication devices also include any new technology that has been developed or is used for similar purposes.“Cell phones are very dangerous in an inmate’s hands. Today marks a milestone for the South Carolina Department of Corrections as we take a huge step forward by signing this bill,” said Director Stirling. “It has always been against our rules, but now it is against the law.”The legislation is named in honor of Captain Robert Johnson, a former contraband captain at Lee Correctional Institution, who was shot at his home after inmates ordered a hit on him using a contraband cell phone in 2010. “I’m overjoyed,” said former Lee Correctional Institution Capt. Johnson. “I think we need to do all we can to stop inmates from having access to contraband phones and to help support our correctional staff. I thank them for pushing the legislation through.”A first offense is classified as a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in prison. A second offense is a felony, carrying a prison sentence of up to five years. If the device is used in the commission of a felony, the offender may face an additional ten years of imprisonment if the court finds that the device facilitated the crime. Before this law took effect, inmates in possession of a telecommunication device were in violation of SCDC’s Inmate Disciplinary System and faced in-facility penalties, including canteen and visitation restrictions, among others. “It was only a few years ago that we were complaining about the problem, and what we have today is us fixing it,” said Speaker of the S.C. House Murrell Smith. “There’s a lot of credit to be given, most importantly to the men and women of the South Carolina Department of Corrections who are putting their lives on the line daily to make sure that we and the public are protected.” This legislation is in support of SCDC’s Cell Phone Interdiction program, which works directly with wireless providers to disable contraband cell phones detected in their facilities. Approved by the Federal Communications Commission, SCDC became the first correctional agency in the country to utilize this new process through a pilot program in July 2023 and has since disabled 1,500 cell phones.
There is a new law in South Carolina regarding cellphones in prisons.
Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela S. Evette held a ceremonial bill signing of H. 4002, the Captain Robert Johnson Act this week.
The bill creates a new criminal offense for unlawful possession of a telecommunications device by an inmate of the South Carolina Department of Corrections unless authorized by the director.
“The use of contraband cell phones and other communication devices to orchestrate crime both inside and outside of prison has been a serious threat that has had devastating consequences for innocent people across our state,” said McMaster. “Thanks to the leadership of Director Stirling, we have made tremendous progress in shutting down these devices. Today’s bill signing builds on our success, further strengthening our prisons’ security and protecting our communities from these criminals.”
The bill defines a telecommunications device as any device that enables communication with individuals inside or outside of a correctional facility. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, handheld radios, portable two‑way pagers, laptop computers, or any components of these devices. Telecommunication devices also include any new technology that has been developed or is used for similar purposes.
“Cell phones are very dangerous in an inmate’s hands. Today marks a milestone for the South Carolina Department of Corrections as we take a huge step forward by signing this bill,” said Director Stirling. “It has always been against our rules, but now it is against the law.”
The legislation is named in honor of Captain Robert Johnson, a former contraband captain at Lee Correctional Institution, who was shot at his home after inmates ordered a hit on him using a contraband cell phone in 2010.
“I’m overjoyed,” said former Lee Correctional Institution Capt. Johnson. “I think we need to do all we can to stop inmates from having access to contraband phones and to help support our correctional staff. I thank them for pushing the legislation through.”
A first offense is classified as a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in prison. A second offense is a felony, carrying a prison sentence of up to five years. If the device is used in the commission of a felony, the offender may face an additional ten years of imprisonment if the court finds that the device facilitated the crime.
Before this law took effect, inmates in possession of a telecommunication device were in violation of SCDC’s Inmate Disciplinary System and faced in-facility penalties, including canteen and visitation restrictions, among others.
“It was only a few years ago that we were complaining about the problem, and what we have today is us fixing it,” said Speaker of the S.C. House Murrell Smith. “There’s a lot of credit to be given, most importantly to the men and women of the South Carolina Department of Corrections who are putting their lives on the line daily to make sure that we and the public are protected.”
This legislation is in support of SCDC’s Cell Phone Interdiction program, which works directly with wireless providers to disable contraband cell phones detected in their facilities. Approved by the Federal Communications Commission, SCDC became the first correctional agency in the country to utilize this new process through a pilot program in July 2023 and has since disabled 1,500 cell phones.
