Supreme Court Published Opinions -
December 2019
Note: Beginning in June 2012, opinions will be posted as Adobe PDFs. You can download a free copy of Adobe Reader here.
The summary following each opinion is prepared to offer lawyers and the public a general overview of what a particular opinion decides. The summary is not necessarily a full description of the issues discussed in an opinion.
12-4-2019 - Opinions
In the prosecutor's closing argument to the jury in Oscar Fortune's murder trial, the prosecutor claimed, "My job is to present the truth." "On the other hand," the prosecutor told the jury, "the defense attorneys' jobs are to manipulate the truth. Their job is to shroud the truth. Their job is [to] confuse jurors." The prosecutor explained that if he, the prosecutor, believes "somebody else did the crime," then he must "dismiss it." We find the prosecutor's improper remarks violated Fortune's rights under the Due Process Clause. We reverse the denial of post-conviction relief, and remand to the court of general sessions for a new trial.12-18-2019 - Opinions
27933 - In the Matter of N. Douglas Brannon
27934 - Winrose Homeowners' Association v. Hale
The Court reverses a judicial foreclosure sale, finding the winning bid price was so low it shocked the conscience of the court. In particular, the Court found significant that the foreclosure purchaser made no attempt to assume the mortgage on the property after the sale, and the purchaser therefore was not entitled to add the amount of the mortgage to its winning bid.
We granted Marquez Devon Glenn's petition for a writ of certiorari to determine whether the court of appeals erred in affirming the circuit court's denial of immunity from prosecution under the Protection of Persons and Property Act ("the Act"), S.C. Code Ann. ยงยง 16-11-410 to 450 (2015). State v. Glenn, Op. No. 2018-UP-169 (S.C. Ct. App. filed Apr. 25, 2018). We reverse the decision of the court of appeals and remand for a new immunity hearing.