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A familiar name reappeared on our radar this week. Thrice-accused teen rapist Bowen Turner, a fortunate son from Orangeburg, South Carolina, was arrested after he was involved in a collision in Florence County. The crash resulted in five new charges being filed against him: Driving under the influence, open container, failure to wear a seatbelt, disorderly conduct and one other unnamed, pending charge.
As our regular audience members are well aware, Turner – a “poster boy for the injustice of influence” – has been repeatedly coddled by the Palmetto State’s justice system. His case has highlighted the dangerous influence powerful lawyer legislators have over South Carolina judges – and sparked calls for long-overdue reform of this badly broken system.
This week also saw a major scandal unfold in Charleston, S.C. Last Saturday, 62-year-old John Barnett – a whistleblower who has been exposing production problems at crony capitalist aerospace giant Boeing – was discovered dead outside of his Charleston hotel after failing to appear for the final day of an extended deposition related to a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit.
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Barnett’s death has been ruled a suicide – and a note was found next to his body, according to police. However, the Louisiana native reportedly told friends and family members prior to his death not to accept that narrative were any harm to befall him.
“If anything happens to me, it’s not suicide,” Barnett allegedly told a family friend, according to reporter Anne Emerson of WCIV TV-4 (ABC – Charleston, S.C.).
As we reported, Barnett’s death comes at a critical moment for Boeing – which is staring down the business end of a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) probe and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) inquiry.
Finally, our Andy Fancher filed a report on some stunning new developments in a Lowcountry cold case that was featured as part of our “Unsolved Carolinas” series two months ago. It’s been thirty-five years since five-year-old Justin Turner disappeared between his front door and the school bus stop in rural Berkeley County … and the long-awaited announcement of arrests two months ago brought hope that there might finally be “justice for Justin.”
This week, though, attorneys for the defendants dropped a bombshell … one that has thrown the entire Lowcountry for a loop and forced many to rethink their original views on this case.
Thanks again to everyone who tuned in this week and please remember, your support drives everything we do here at FITSNews. As we continue seeking truth and holding those in power accountable – and continue pushing for reforms that enhance accountability at the institutional level – please consider subscribing today!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina and before that he was a bass guitarist and dive bar bouncer. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven (soon to be eight) children.
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