Horry County police settle lawsuit after firing officer

A federal lawsuit against the Horry County Police Department and one of its former officers was settled six days after the department fired the officer accused of lying to get a search warrant.

The lawsuit was dismissed without costs, and the amount of the settlement is not disclosed in the order filed on Sept. 21.

Donald Kent, a 19-year veteran of the department, was fired on Sept. 15.

The state Supreme Court had already ruled that Kent “knowingly and intentionally made false statements in the search-warrant affidavit” in the search of a mobile home in 2008. The court also overturned the conviction connected to the search.

That search led police to a mobile home where they found more than 375 grams of cocaine, 53 grams of marijuana, ecstasy pills and dozens of other items, along with mail addressed to Alex Robinson.

Robinson, sued the HCPD and Kent, claiming he had moved out of the home.

[Lies led to wrongful conviction, SC court says. 19-year veteran cop loses his badge]

An attorney for Robinson could not be reached on Monday afternoon. Krystal Dotson, a spokeswoman for HCPD, could not immediately be reached.

This story was originally published September 25, 2017 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Horry County police settle lawsuit after firing officer."