As Hurricane Florence neared the Carolina coast, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the mandatory evacuation of all zones in coastal counties. Despite the order, two correctional institutions and one jail in the evacuation zones were ordered to keep inmates and detainees in place.
I broke the initial story that inmates at MacDougall and Ridgeland correctional institutions would not be moved, a story that was shared by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU went on to release a statement against the decision.
Additionally, I exposed the fact that the Al Cannon Detention Center in Charleston County would not be evacuating, despite the fact it was in a flood zone.
The stories were published across McClatchy’s Carolina sites, including the Charlotte Observer, the Raleigh News & Observer, The Rock Hill Herald, The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News and the (Hilton Head) Island Packet, as well as The State in Columbia.
Emily Bohatch 