Earlier this week we posted an item about Harry Harman – a 78-year-old coroner in Lexington County, S.C. who continues to receive a government paycheck even though he hasn’t left his hospital bed for the last ten months (and isn’t leaving anytime soon).
Missed that post? Here you go …
This story is about Randy A. Martin – the deputy coroner who has been doing Harman’s job since February.
According to a 2003 administrative law court ruling, a 2000 decision by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) denying Martin a private investigators’ license was upheld.
How come? Because literally every single one of Martin’s prior employers referenced in the ruling described him as having “a poor character for truthfulness.”
“Based on this Court’s factual finding that Petitioner has a poor character for truthfulness, (it) holds as a matter of law that Petitioner lacks the good moral character required for obtaining a private investigation business license,” the ruling concluded.
Hmmmm …
Frankly we think it’s pretty funny to hear private investigators being defined as people of “good moral character.” We also think it’s pretty ridiculous that government requires people who want to become private investigators to receive a friggin’ license from the state.
But then again this is South Carolina … where you literally can’t cut somebody’s hair without getting the government’s permission.
8 comments
Actually there were laws about washing hair…
Will, on the previous story about LexCo Coroner’s Office, did you notice in the comments where the website for that agency notes a multitude of recent deaths as being commented on by the bedridden Coroner?
Earlier this week someone commented that they were lucky to live in Lexington County rather than Richland County
Such proclamation may have been premature in light of who is actually in charge of Lexington County Corner’s Office, the comments about voting for Swansea’s Mayor and the two cops who maintain that as long as you ain’t gratified it is not illegal to get satisfied playing with babies’ private parts in Lexington County
The Cockroaches have breached the walls and are marching on downtown Lexington
That was me.
I’m still glad I live in Lexco. Despite its problems, it is still better than Columbia (and, as recent elections show, it is getting better, again, unlike Columbia).
Actually, it is quite convenient having the Coroner under the same roof of Sheriff investigators…think insurance fraud.
Maybe Danny “Kingfish” has the corner’s office on lockdown and is the real person running it. Rumor has it he has a good buddy who is an assistant corner there.
There are several qualified candidates vying for the position. HH is quite powerful even though his health has declined. Law enforcement personnel, former Richland County Coroner Barron as well as a young talented Lexington County Mortician offer wonderful choices to the voters.
Frank Barron is not the answer. Explore an old Free Times story, Fear and Loathing in the Coroner’s office. He was ran out of Richland County by Gary Watts, a much better office holder.
Time to get these career politicians off the payroll. Force them to get a real job.