The Republican candidate for sheriff had already been prosecuted for alleged battery on a suspect

CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) – Republican candidate for Charleston County Sheriff, Greg Kitchens, was once accused of beating a suspect while working for the department he is now running for to the head, according to court records.

In a 1997 lawsuit filed by James Singleton of Ravenel, he alleged that Kitchens hit him in the head seven or eight times with his service-issued flashlight until he was bloody.

Singleton, who was a passenger in a car during a high-speed chase on Johns Island on September 2, 1995, reportedly ran a few meters when the car stopped and fell into the bushes when Kitchens ran after him ordering them to stay on the ground. Singleton claimed he followed orders but was still beaten.

He was charged with resisting arrest, battery on a police officer, littering, open container and giving false information to police for initially providing a false name.

Kitchens wrote in the incident report that the suspects were seen holding open beer while driving and that during the chase the bottles were seen thrown out of the car. Kitchens wrote that Singleton continued to try to get up “while deputies ordered him to get down.”

An affidavit says Singleton struck Kitchens “in the chest with his left fist.”

Lt. Chevalier “Chevy” Harris, who was off-duty and working a side job in the area, heard the call on the radio about a high-speed chase in the area of ​​Humbert and Main Roads and responded. is attached to the intervention.

Harris testified during an internal investigation that he saw Kitchens “repeatedly punch the black man in the back of his head” and “before each blow he yelled 'lay down' at Singleton who was kneeling “not”. in trouble.”

Harris noted that he told him to stop, then “forcibly threw the deputy to the ground” and helped arrest Singleton who he said was having trouble getting up because he was feeling dizzy.

He wrote that Kitchens then approached him and patted his chest with the bloody flashlight, saying, “That was some shit in the woods.” Harris punched Kitchens in the face “without thinking” twice. Harris was later cleared of excessive use of force.

The lawsuit was ultimately settled in 1999 for an unknown amount and was dismissed.

“Every good cop files a lawsuit. Law enforcement involves a fair amount of unfortunate violence. Some people don't want to go to prison. And some things become disproportionate. Some people file lawsuits when they don’t really have a case,” Kitchens said when asked about the lawsuit.

“It was settled out of court for a small sum to make it go away. I was exonerated. I wasn't punished at all. I think that speaks for itself that someone is trying to dig it up and make it into something that it’s not,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens voluntarily resigned from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office in 1998. Records show he has not worked in South Carolina law enforcement since and joined the United States Marines where he eventually became a colonel.

In his departure paperwork, a supervisor checked a box indicating he would be eligible for rehire.

“It's important to look very carefully at the evidence, the testimony and everything else before making a hasty decision. Mob rulings on justice are not the American way and as sheriff I will ensure my deputies are always treated fairly,” Kitchens said.

Kitchens won the primary race Tuesday to be the Republican nominee in the Charleston County sheriff's race with 3 percent, but failed to get more than 50 percent of the total vote, leading to a runoff.

The favorite will face second-place former Mount Pleasant Police Chief Carl Ritchie again on Tuesday, June 25, with early voting taking place June 19-21.

Kitchens has also raised more than $100,000 for his campaign, more than any other candidate so far. On Friday, Captain Rick Keys of the North Charleston Police Department, who also ran for sheriff, endorsed Kitchens.

During that time, Ritchie was named in a few lawsuits, but never based on direct actions, only because of his role as leader of other officers accused of wrongdoing.

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