BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—According to Berkeley Co. Spokesperson Chip Boling, council leaders recently approved up to $285,000 to settle a lawsuit filed against the county last year by a deputy sheriff.
In May 2013, James Lamar Blakely sued the county stating that he worked many hours at the Berkeley Co. Sheriff’s Office without ever properly being compensated. Shortly after filing that class action lawsuit to recover the unpaid overtime, seven additional officers joined in.
“There were two separate classes: K9 officers and narcotic officers,” said Marybeth Mullaney, the attorney for the deputies.
Blakely has been employed at the sheriff’s office since 2001, first as a detention officer at the jail before moving his way up the ranks and becoming a K9 officer.
If his name sounds familiar, it should. In 2008, Blakely made headlines and received praise by the FBI for “thwarting a potential terrorist plot” after he arrested two Egyptian college students on explosives charges. The praise, however, was also greeted with criticism by some. (To read the story, click here.)
Fast forward five years later, and Blakely’s name is back in the spotlight but for a much different reason. In his lawsuit, he claimed he worked in excess of 171 hours in a 28-day work cycle and was rarely properly compensated from those hours. Regularly, he said he bathed, fed and groomed his canine while not receiving any pay for doing so.
According to Mullaney, both parties took part in mediation on July 2 and agreed on a settlement; however Judge Patrick Michael Duffy with the South Carolina District Court will have to approve it.
“The next step in the process is to file a motion seeking court approval of the settlement,” stated Mallaney. “ I am extremely proud to have represented these dedicated public servants. My clients are pleased that the County worked with us to resolve this matter and they look forward to continuing to do what they love which is serving the citizens of Berkeley County. It was not an easy thing for them to step forward but they did so with the hope of making positive changes for all similarly situated County employees. I hope that the Sheriff’s Office will recognize them as leaders and that they will continue to grow in their careers with the Department.”
Mullaney added that this particular case involved very complicated financial matters, which required extensive document review and the analysis of complex financial formulas, in addition to the application of appropriate federal labor regulations. The plaintiffs retained Karen Fine, a CPA who served as a financial expert and assisted with the determination of a proper monetary remedy for the damages incurred by our officers.
Blakely remains employed at the Berkeley Co. Sheriff’s Office.
To view the lawsuit in its entirety, click here.
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