Magistrate Judge Crystal Cleveland represented herself in a suit against the Sumter County Board of Commissioners on June 18. Both Commissioner Mark Waddell and Chair David Baldwin were in attendance as witnesses. Cleveland asked if the other Commissioners were told the date of the hearing.

Commissioner Clay Jones says he was not told about the hearing on June 18. Commissioner Jessie Smith also says he did not know about the hearing. Commissioner Jim Reid says that while he didn’t know about the date of the hearing on the 18th, all of the Commissioners were aware of the suit.

Baldwin responded when asked why the other Commissioners were not informed, stating it was a question for the defense. He said the reason he attended was because the lawyer defending the County, Raleigh Rollins, had asked him to be there as the current Chair. “As a Commissioner, I have never attended any hearing on County issues and as a Commissioner, I would not attend unless specifically told to do so for several reasons.”