Kiamar Bethea, a Dillon resident, has been charged with obstruction of justice after willingly failing to appear in court after being properly served with a subpoena.
Bethea was subpoenaed to appear as a witness in the trial of Mikal Bethea (who ultimately pled guilty in the middle of his trial) in November and had met with law enforcement agents and the members of the solicitor’s office on several occasions prior to the week of court. On the day he was to appear, he never showed.
Circuit Court Judge Mike Baxley immediately issued a bench warrant at the request of Assistant Solicitor Shipp Daniel, and law enforcement found Bethea hiding in an apartment the next day.
Law enforcement began its investigation of the matter which culminated in the obstruction of justice charge. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Daniel would not comment on the specifics of the case since it is pending, but he did say that the solicitor’s office takes very seriously the power and requirements of the subpoena.