Davis Adv. Sh. No. 6
S.E. 2d
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Supreme Court
In the Matter of Harold
W. Pryor, Respondent.
Opinion No. 24762
Submitted January 20, 1998 - Filed February 9, 1998
PUBLIC REPRIMAND
PER CURIAM: In this judicial disciplinary matter,
respondent and Disciplinary Counsel have entered into an agreement
under Rule 21, RJDE, Rule 502, SCACR. In the agreement, respondent
admits misconduct and consents to a public reprimand. We accept the
agreement.
Respondent is a former Spartanburg County Magistrate. On or
about October 10, 1997, respondent pled guilty to one count of misconduct
in office pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-1-80 (Supp. 1997). This is a
serious crime as defined in Rule 2(z), RJDE. By his conduct, respondent
has also violated Rules 7(a)(1)(violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct)
and 7(a)(3)(conviction of a serious crime), RJDE, as well as the following
provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct, Rule 501, SCACR: Section
1A(failure to maintain and observe high standards of conduct to preserve
the independence and integrity of the judiciary); Section 2(A)(failure to
respect and comply with the law, and failure to conduct himself in a
manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity of the judiciary);
p. 23
and Section 3(B)(2)(failure to be faithful to the law and maintain
professional competence in it).
Because respondent is no longer a magistrate and because he
has agreed to not hereafter seek nor accept any judicial position within
the State of South Carolina, we have decided to accept the agreement for
a public reprimand. Accordingly, respondent is hereby publicly
reprimanded for his conduct.
PUBLIC REPRIMAND.
C.J.
A.J.
A.J.
A.J.
Burnett, A.J., not participating
p. 24