South Carolina county settles with target of coroner’s slurs

ST. GEORGE, S.C. – A South Carolina county’s insurer has paid nearly $1 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit over a confrontation involving the former county coroner who pulled a gun on his black neighbour and used a racial epithet nearly three years ago.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reported the State Insurance Reserve Fund paid $750,000 on behalf of Dorchester County to Leroy Fulton, who filed the complaint against coroner Chris Nisbet in U.S. District Court. Nisbet is white.

The state fund also paid more than $167,000 in expenses.

Police video in 2015 recorded Nisbet’s comments during the confrontation. He resigned in 2016.

Nisbet was arrested on a charge of misconduct in office. The count was later dismissed when he pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of breach of peace.

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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com