SPORTS Baron Classic Wilson Hall hosts rival Thomas Sumter, other regional teams in hoops tournament B1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 $1.75 LOCAL: Morris College named Purple Heart College A2 Inmate dies after found unconscious Family member claims Sumter man was found with needle in arm, SLED investigating BY ADRIENNE SARVIS sponsive with a needle in his arm" at She said nurses in the emergency The family member said Browder [email protected] about 3 a.m. Thursday. room who looked after Browder said had gastrointestinal bleeding, which She made these statements Friday Narcan had been administered, but he could indicate that he ingested, or ate, A Sumter-Lee Regional Detention morning. did not respond to it. something harmful, she said. Center inmate was pronounced dead She said she was told of Browder’s That indcates that it was not opioids A second family member said Saturday morning after he was found condition at 6:22 a.m. after he had nor heroin in his system, she said. Browder told his father he’d stopped unconscious Thursday morning, ac- gone into cardiac arrest three times. Browder only tested positive for eating cafeteria food at the jail after cording to Sumter County Sheriff's Of- “I should have been notified as soon marijuana, she said, and no one has hearing a rumor that someone fice. as he was found unresponsive,” she said what was in the syringe. planned to poison him. According to an immediate family said. No one knows how the needle got He only ate food from the vending member, Daniel Browder Jr., 38, was The family member said before into the prison, the family member machine, he said. in a coma fighting for his life in the in- Browder died, he did not have a neuro- said, nor how Browder got the needle Ken Bell, public information officer tensive care unit at Palmetto Health logical response because his brain and if he did it to himself or if some- Tuomey after he was found “unre- went so long without oxygen. one else did it. SEE INMATE, PAGE A10 I photographed the president BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] It has always been the center of the universe to those who leave or travel and run into Sumterites all over the world, but Sumter may have been buzzing the most on March 17, 1991. Presidential candidates have been here. Top U.S. Air Force personnel have visited. Mary McLeod Bethune, Jor- dan Montgomery, Jim Cly- burn, Bobby Richardson, Lee Brice. Names toting clout claim Sumter County as home No. 1. Never before or since has a sitting president descended upon seemingly sleepy Sum- ter, but when then-President George H.W. Bush made the homecoming of Shaw Air Force Base’s Desert Storm warriors his first public ap- pearance at a welcome event for the winners of the Gulf War, Sumter was awakened. “Everybody was just vibrat- ing. Something big was hap- pening, and we as a collective had a front seat to it,” said PHOTO PROVIDED Traci Quinn. George H.W. Bush campaigns for president at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens, seen here with Mayor Bubba McElveen and Gov. Carroll Campbell on March 3, 1988. SEE BUSH, PAGE A10 New Sumter School Board Person of interest faces member’s motion on agenda charges in shootings Ray’s attempted proposal to restructure, eliminate 2 acquaintances face separate drug, firearm charges committees before trustees, along with audit BY ADRIENNE SARVIS land Avenue; and Hikeem Ward, 20, [email protected] of Eugene Street — were located at BY BRUCE MILLS A district spokeswoman a residence in the county hours [email protected] distributed an agenda A man sought in connection with after a $3,500 reward was issued for Thursday. multiple shootings, one of them Epps’ arrest. A new trustee’s failed attempt to At the first meeting fatal, and two acquaintances were All three suspects are known to make a motion at last month’s regular- with the new board trust- apprehended Thursday night as law enforcement for their involve- ly scheduled board meeting on re- ees on Nov. 26, new Area 2 city police continue their investiga- ment in the local drug trade, ac- structuring board committees is a RAY Representative Sherril tion into recent shootings. cording to a release from Sumter highlighted item at this month’s regu- Ray tried to make a The three suspects — Kalvin D. Police Department. lar Sumter School District’s Board of Epps, 21, of South Purdy Street; Trustees’ meeting set for Monday. SEE AGENDA, PAGE A8 Rakim A. Butler, 27, of West Oak- SEE CHARGES, PAGE A8 VISIT US ONLINE AT DEATHS, B6 WEATHER, A12 INSIDE Mamerto Emilio Montoya Davis White COLD AND RAINY 4 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES the .com VOL. 124, NO. 38 Marc Bradley Arnold Bernard Scott Breezy and cold with rain Hattie Mack Pinckney Carolyn Wade Shorter Classifieds C6 Reflections C3 today; occasional Comics D1 Television C2 Barry Geddings Mildred Elmore drizzle and rain tonight. Van Bernard Conyers Janie Hodge Opinion A11 USA Today C5 HIGH 44, LOW 33 Outdoors C1 Yesteryear C4 Panorama A5 A2 | SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Morris College becomes Purple Heart college BY DANNY KELLY veterans. We want everyone [email protected] to know that Morris College is a veteran-friendly institu- Sumter's Purple Heart tion.” Chapter 817 of the Military He also said the college is Order of the Purple Heart proud to receive the designa- designated Morris College as tion and that Purple Heart a Purple Heart College during signs are being installed at a ceremony Dec. 3 at the col- entrances to the campus and lege's O.R. Reuben Chapel. a reserved parking space has Chapter Commander Harry been established for Purple Thompson presented Morris Heart recipients. College President Leroy Stag- Morris College's establish- PHOTO PROVIDED gers with the official designa- ment of its Veterans Resource From left at the Purple Heart Reserved Parking Place at Morris College are Sumter Purple Heart Chapter tion which made Morris Col- Center and strong support of 817 Patriot Jessie Burgess, Commander Harry Thompson, Patriot Ron Harvin, Adjutant Leroy Thompson lege the first college in the education programs for veter- and Patriots Don Kellum, Dave Nesbitt, and Johnny Williams. area to receive this honor in ans has provided invaluable recognition of the college's assistance to veterans in veterans and our military past Chapter Commander ed soldiers. Eventually, the support of military members, meeting their education goals. community.” Dave Nesbitt explained how medal was authorized for all veterans and their families. “Sumter loves its veterans, “As a veteran of the United the Purple Heart is the na- members of the Armed “Thank you for designating and we are proud of their States Army, I am humbled tion’s oldest award since it Forces wounded by an in- Morris College a ‘Purple graceful service and unselfish by the occasion,” Secretary of was introduced in 1782 by strument of war in the Heart College,’” Staggers said sacrifices to their country,” the Board of Trustees James Gen. George Washington as hands of the enemy and at the ceremony. “With the Chairman of the Board of B. Blassingame said. “It the Badge of Military Merit. posthumously awarded to opening of our Veterans Re- Trustees J. David Weeks, D- speaks volumes of the love, The medal was not awarded the next of kin in the name source Center in August, this Sumter, said. “Our aim at respect and appreciation Mor- again until 1932 when the of those killed in action or designation will certainly en- Morris College is to strength- ris College has for veterans.” Purple Heart was re-estab- who die of wounds received hance our commitment to en our relationship with our Following the presentation, lished as a medal for wound- in action. Catch The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra tonight at Opera House The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra brings its holiday concert to the Sumter Opera House at 4 p.m. Sunday. Comprising mainly musicians from the South, the or- chestra's style is similar to that of the late Frank Sinatra, but with their own unique arrangements. They don't just play Sinatra and the Great American Songbook, but also some Motown, a lit- tle blues, country and rock 'n' roll. Tickets for The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra are priced at $23, $26 and $30 and can be purchased online at www.sumteropera- house.com or at the box office in Sumter Opera House, 21 N. Main St., before the show today. PHOTO PROVIDED Morris College’s free chorale Davé will accompany the chorale as Seen the Baby?” and gospel arrange- Christmas concert today they perform the Baroque choral ar- ments by Norman Hutchins. CORRECTION rangement of “Gloria” written by An- The public is invited to this free event. FROM STAFF REPORTS tonio Lucio Vivaldi. A headline published in Friday's Also featured will be the following Crowndale waterline repairs edition incorrectly called Kalvin Morris College will present its annu- performances: a string solo by Mr. Epps the alleged shooter in a Sumter al chorale Christmas concert at 6 p.m. Lorne Lee, interim chair and instruc- to be made on Dec. 11 man's death. Sumter Police Depart- today in the Neal-Jones Auditorium. tor of music in the Division of General The City of Sumter will be making ment named Epps a person of inter- The concert will begin with a candle- Studies; a piano solo by Shawn L.