EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2009-06


WHEREAS, the Grand Jurors of Horry County indicted Lewis Christopher Shannon, member of the Horry County School Board, on May 28, 2009, for Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent over $5,000.00; and

WHEREAS, South Carolina law recognizes that “an act in which fraud is an ingredient involves moral turpitude…,” see State v. Horton, 248 S.E.2d 263 (1978); In re Derrick, 392 S.E.2d 180 (1990), and the above-referenced indictment is for a crime that involves moral turpitude; and

WHEREAS, Lewis Christopher Shannon is an officer of a political subdivision of the State and Article VI, Section 8, of the South Carolina Constitution provides that "[a]ny officer of the State or its political subdivisions…who has been indicted by a grand jury for a crime involving moral turpitude…may be suspended by the Governor until he shall have been acquitted;" and

WHEREAS, a certified true copy of the indictment against Lewis Christopher Shannon has been provided to me.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of South Carolina, I hereby suspend Lewis Christopher Shannon from the office of School Board of Horry County until such time as he shall be formally acquitted or convicted.

This action in no manner addresses the question of the guilt or innocence of Lewis Christopher Shannon and should not be construed as an expression of any opinion one way or another on such question.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, THIS 2nd DAY OF JUNE, 2009.

MARK SANFORD
Governor

This page last updated on Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 11:43 A.M.