McLeod announces bid for Solicitor
E. B. “Trey” McLeod III has announced his candidacy for the office of solicitor of the Third Judicial Circuit in the forthcoming Democratic Primary. The Third Circuit encompasses Clarendon, Lee, Sumter and Williamsburg counties.
A native of Pinewood, McLeod graduated from Wilson Hall School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Carolina in 2002.
He received his law degree from the USC School Of Law in 2005 and has been engaged in the practice of law since that time. He is a member of the Sumter County Bar Association and the South Carolina Bar Association. He is also a member of the South Carolina Bar House of Delegates.
McLeod is the oldest son of former House Representative E.B. “Mac” McLeod Jr. His mother, Joanie McLeod, has served on numerous boards including the Department of Social Services and is very active in the community. McLeod and his family are members of the Saint James Lutheran Church in Sumter.
During his years in college McLeod interned for the State Law Enforcement Division where he received a Certificate of Merit for his work in SLED’s forensics lab. He also interned for Former Governor Jim Hodges as well as being a Page for the SC House of Representatives. In law school, McLeod was a Volunteer Coordinator for a program which helped senior citizens sign up for Social Security and Medicare benefits they deserved.
After law school, McLeod was an Administrative Hearing Officer for the South Carolina Employment Security Commission before joining the Solicitor’s Office in 2007.
McLeod is currently an Assistant Solicitor in the Third Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office in Sumter County. McLeod has made the decision to run for this office “to bring a fresh perspective to the job of prosecuting criminals in the Third Circuit.”
“I have seen too many individuals accused of violent crimes walking the streets even though they have multiple charges,” McLeod said. “These individuals are a clear danger to the community. I will work with the magistrates who set the bonds to make sure they are aware that these individuals are committing crimes while out on bond so they will be able to properly analyze their potential danger to the community when they commit the subsequent crimes.”
McLeod also sees the problems with the current court system.
“Part of the reason individuals are being released from jail is the backlog we have in our docket,” he noted “Cases with incident dates from as far back as 2004 and beyond are still waiting to be tried. This circuit needs to be fully integrated into the technology of the 21st century if we are to move cases in an expeditious manner. Such changes have been in affect all over the state for a while and the 3rd Circuit is slowly but surely coming on board.”
McLeod states his biggest focus will be on moving those cases involving violent crime and drug sales.
“I will work to better prioritize cases and put our efforts into trying those cases that will actually make this circuit safer,” he said. “I will also seek longer sentences for those committing such violent offenses. As a part of this focus, I will review the procedures of the existing diversion programs to help first time offenders better take advantage of such opportunities before they are forced into the system and potentially become violent offenders.”
McLeod will face Ernest “Chip” Finney III in the Democratic Primary on June 8. The Republican Party is fielding Theophilus “Tod” Williams. Assistant Solicitor Catherine Fant plans to run as an independent in the Nov. 2 general election.
