The Carolinas news

South Carolina

GREENVILLE

Erskine chairman drops lawsuit

A lawsuit by the chairman of a South Carolina college's board against the conservative denomination that founded the school has been withdrawn.

The Greenville News reports another lawsuit has been filed by three trustees and the Erskine Alumni Association against the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church.

The church's ruling body voted to remove 14 trustees from the Due West school's board.

The Erskine board's executive committee said it agreed with the chairman's lawsuit challenging the appointment of new board members, but withdrew it for church unity.

The other trustees and the alumni association are asking a judge to rule the college, through its board, owns Erskine's buildings and land.

The clerk of the denomination said it has no comment, but plans to discuss a response Thursday.

COLUMBIA

Farm expands 170-year-old operation

A major farm in eastern South Carolina is expanding, adding 65 new jobs to the rural portion of one county.

McCall Farms announced on Wednesday it will build a 150,000 square foot building on its land near Effingham in Florence County to expand its canning operations.

The company grows and cans tomatoes, okra, corn, squash, beans, peas, peaches, peanuts and greens.

Its products are sold throughout the Southeast.

McCall Farms has been growing food in Florence County for more than 170 years.

SPARTANBURG

Official retires amid SLED probe

A South Carolina county's human resources director has retired as the State Law Enforcement Division investigates financial irregularities in Union County.

The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported Vicki Nash is suspended pending the SLED review.

Union County supervisor Tommy Sinclair would not release her retirement letter, citing legal advice.

But South Carolina Press Association attorney Jay Bender said such letters are public record.

SLED spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons would only say the agency is investigating allegations of accounting irregularities in the Union County Supervisor's Office.

Sinclair was appointed to replace Donnie Betenbaugh, who last month pleaded guilty in federal court to soliciting and extortion.

GREENVILLE

Man charged in 2007 slaying

A South Carolina man has been arrested in the shooting death of a restaurant employee from three years ago.

Multiple media outlets reported that 21-year-old Korey L. Love of Taylors was charged with murder Tuesday.

Marvelin Isaac Bass, III, 22, was shot to death after leaving work at a Wendy's restaurant in Greenville on Jan. 27, 2007.

Warrants show Love also is charged with attempted robbery and possession of weapons.

North Carolina

CHARLOTTE

Family sues stun gun maker after death

A maker of electronic stun guns is being sued by the family of a North Carolina teen killed after he was shocked with one of the weapons.

The Charlotte Observer reported the lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court and doesn't list a specific monetary amount.

The lawsuit says Taser International didn't warn its customers that the weapon could be lethal if deployed near the chest.

Darryl Wayne Turner, 17, died of cardiac arrest in March 2008 after a confrontation with police at a grocery store where Turner had worked.

The city of Charlotte paid $625,000 to Turner's family last August, although the city didn't admit wrongdoing.

A spokesman for Taser International says the Arizona-based company doesn't comment on pending litigation, but stands behind the safety of its products.

CHEROKEE

Court asked to dismiss gambling lawsuit

The state attorney general has asked a North Carolina court to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges the governor's authority to negotiate gambling rights with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that Fayetteville-based New Vemco Music Co. filed the lawsuit in Wake County.

The attorney general's office filed a motion Friday asking that the lawsuit be dismissed.

FAYETTEVILLE

Man found guilty after driving rampage

A North Carolina man who police say went on a rampage in a van, killing one pedestrian and hurting four others, has been found guilty of eight charges, including murder.

A jury deliberated four days before finding Abdullah El-Amin Shareef, 31, of Raeford, guilty in the 2004 death.

Shareef also was found guilty of seven other charges, including attempted murder, related to the 40-mile rampage between Fayetteville and Wake County.

Shareef had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His attorneys said he suffered from untreated paranoid schizophrenia.