PICKENS — No charges will be filed against the woman who shot and killed an escaped Pickens County Prison inmate after he kicked in the back door of her home while evading capture.
A release from the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office read: “Last week, the Sheriff’s Office received notification from the 13th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office that the legal review of the investigation into the fatal shooting of an escaped inmate by a homeowner on December 4, 2018 had been completed.”
According to the release, Assistant Solicitor J. Baker Cleveland III said the unnamed woman would not be facing charges.
“It is the opinion of this office that (Name Redacted) would be immune from prosecution for any charges relating to the shooting death of Bruce McLaughlin pursuant to Title 16, Article 6 of the S.C. Code of Laws, the Protection of Persons and Property Act,” Cleveland wrote. “Her actions in this matter are a textbook example of what type of actions the Protection of Persons and Property Act seek to provide absolute criminal immunity for.”
Both McLaughlin and another inmate, Timothy Dill, escaped from the prison on Dec. 4 after overpowering two guards in the facility. Dill was re-captured without incident a short time afterwards.
A third inmate, Timothy Paul Lucero, was also charged in the incident but failed to actually escape the facility.
Both Dill and Lucero are facing additional charges related to the events that occurred that night.
