Native Drums
Explore the powerful symbolism of drums in African American culture, once tools of communication and resistance during the darkest times of slavery. We confront the lingering shadows of economic exploitation and the pervasive influence of media and religion in controlling black narratives. Let’s reexamine the role of the black church and its mission to fight systemic injustices, urging a return to prophetic ministries that prioritize humanity and community over material wealth. This podcast episode is not just a reflection of the past but a call to action for the future, urging us to build a more just and liberated world.
Native Drums
Balanced Justice
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The criminal justice system can feel like a locked door until the day you need it, and then you’re expected to understand everything at once. We sit down with attorney Susan McGill, a candidate for 12th Circuit solicitor serving Florence County and Marion County, to make the process plain spoken and practical. From her first mock trial as a student to 13 years in law, Susan explains why she believes experience across the system matters, and why integrity and fairness cannot change depending on who is in the courtroom.
We dig into one of the biggest frustrations people share: why someone can be arrested and then return to the street so fast. Susan breaks down bond hearings, what judges actually weigh, and how clear facts about the offense and a defendant’s record can shape safer decisions. We also talk directly to victims and families about the help that too many people do not realize they have, including victim advocates, communication from agencies, and protections tied to a victims’ bill of rights. If you have ever wondered whether you should show up to a hearing, or what questions to ask, you’ll leave with a plan.
From there, we zoom out to the big picture: transparency in the solicitor’s office, what “solicitor” means compared to a district attorney, and why juvenile crime needs focused resources before kids “graduate” into the adult system. Susan also shares a clear example of why a one size fits all approach can break futures, and how rehabilitation programs and expungement can serve justice when a case is truly different. Subscribe, share this episode with a neighbor, and leave a review with the one question you still want answered about local prosecution.
Welcome And Meet Susan McGill
SPEAKER_01Hello, everyone. Welcome to Native Drums. I'm Jocelia Williams, your hostess for today. And here on the podcast, I have with me Susan McGill, who is a candidate for solicitor. Hello there.
SPEAKER_00Good evening. How are you?
SPEAKER_01She's so cute. Yes, she is. I'm great. I'm great. And it's a pleasure to have you here with us on Native Drums.
SPEAKER_00And it's an honor to be here.
SPEAKER_01Oh, wow. And you know, um, you're just an attorney, right? An attorney. And how long have you done that? How long have you been, Mattor?
SPEAKER_00So I've been an attorney for 13 years. Really? Yes, ma'am.
SPEAKER_01You don't look like you've been an attorney for 13 years. Good moisturizer. Yeah, you wear it well. So
The Mock Trial That Started It
SPEAKER_01as you were growing up, you grew up in Marion as we were talking earlier. Yes, I did. Okay. So um as a youngster growing up, was that one of your dreams?
SPEAKER_00It was. And I'll tell you how it started. I had an opportunity to be in a class, and they wanted to do a mock trial. And the students thought it would be fitting for me to represent the defendant in the case. Now, I was a little bit shy back then, so I was a little reluctant to do it. And essentially what happened, I did it, and by the end of that, I really, really enjoyed it. And then as I got involved in student government in junior high and high school, that desire still lingered and lasted.
SPEAKER_01Wow. See how God throws you into that. He'll do that. Yes, he will. I mean, from an early age, he'll just throw you into it and he'll say, this is the path that you should take.
SPEAKER_00That's right.
SPEAKER_01Oh my goodness.
Why She Is Running For Solicitor
SPEAKER_01So what motivated you to run for a solicitor?
SPEAKER_00I started my career off after I graduated undergrad as a victim advocate. And I'm a first-generation attorney, so I wanted to make sure that I really wanted to go to law school. It's a major time commitment and financial commitment. So I worked in the solicitor's office. Okay. And that's how I realized that I still wanted to go to law school, and I loved working with victims and witnesses. And so from there I came back, I worked in the solicitor's office, this time as a prosecutor. Oh. And so I had the opportunity to handle my own cases, and I work in private practice now at Finkly, Hendrick and Blake. And so I have experience from different parts of the criminal justice system. And so I believe a leader that's well-rounded and experienced would make a great solicitor.
SPEAKER_01Definitely, definitely. So let's let's talk about your platform here. So what is uh what do you hope to accomplish um if elected?
SPEAKER_00So one of the major things is making sure that justice is balanced in both Florence County and Marion County. You know, when you talk about integrity and fairness, it cannot be situational when you're dealing with the criminal justice system. Regardless of race, gender, um, socioeconomic status, everyone deserves fairness.
SPEAKER_01Definitely, definitely. So
Bond Hearings And Why People Return
SPEAKER_01um we had the chief of police on Native Drums a couple of shows back, a couple of podcasts back. And um sh we were talking about the duration of uh different um inmates, I guess, for lack of a better word. Um and so how does that work? Because sometimes they said they're back on the street so quickly. So what is that process and how can that be improved?
SPEAKER_00So essentially when a person is arrested, they are entitled to a bond hearing.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And so a judge, typically a magistrate or a municipal court judge, will either set bond or deny bond. If they're uh deny bond, then it goes to a circuit court judge to either set bond or deny bond. If a bond is granted, then the person can re-offend, and we see that happen quite frequently. And so essentially what happens when a judge looks at a person, typically they consider two things at a bond hearing: whether a person is a flight risk and whether they're a danger to the community. And sometimes, you know, people get out and re-offend. I think it's helpful when you have somebody to really let a judge understand the nature of the offense and not hold back on how egregious the crime may be, and also making sure that they understand a defendant's record that's sitting in front of them. Because sometimes that information may not be shared with them or elaborated, and so those things help them make better decisions.
SPEAKER_01So um, like you said, if uh say for instance, because this happened to me, someone broke into my home. Right, into some of my property, not the home where I live, but my property. Um when they went up for the bond hearing, they asked if I wanted to attend, but I did not go, which I think I should have gone. Because so that that situation, so give give me a scenario of that of what you think if I should have if I had gone, then what the situation, how would that have bettered the situation?
SPEAKER_00Because there were some things that I could have said that would have and and I always advise victims if you are passionate about, like you mentioned, someone remaining incarcerated or letting the judge really understand how this has impacted you, you have to show up. If you cannot, then you need to make sure that your victim advocate is going to communicate to the court how you feel about it and let the judge know your position. I always think it's it makes an impact when a victim is present. Because the judge has a living person that they can look in your eyes and understand that you're passionate about the case.
SPEAKER_01Now, how do you obtain a victim advocate? They assign that or what? Because I didn't see that's something I didn't even realize.
SPEAKER_00So so you you have a victim advocate. They have them at the police department, the sheriff's departments, and you have them in the solicitor's office. So somebody should have been communicating with you and letting you know because you know when you think about somebody being arrested and you being a victim of a crime, you've never dealt with the criminal justice system. Right. So you're in uncharted territory. So you need somebody to advocate for you, to explain the process, to help you understand what resolution looks like, and that's your victim advocate's role.
SPEAKER_01Okay, all right. And see, I didn't realize I had that.
SPEAKER_00And you know, the person that called you may not have said their title, and they very well could have been the victim advocate.
SPEAKER_01Okay, okay.
SPEAKER_00Potentially.
SPEAKER_01Okay, all right. Well, that's really good information, you know, uh, and I'm sure that uh for our viewers that's um uh great information because of that's something I didn't know that I had um access to.
SPEAKER_00That's right. Because there is a victim's bill of rights, and so victims have to be notified, they have to be advised, they have to have an opportunity to be present. So those things come in every case.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Or those rights continue with the victims.
SPEAKER_01Well, I appreciate that. I really appreciate it. Well, is there something else that we're missing that we need to know when it comes to um the process, uh, if we are victimized or um or for it or or if um someone has been accused of a situation when that's not the case?
SPEAKER_00I I always advise whether it's a victim or a defendant, thank you, please ask questions. If you do not understand, the people that are working in the courtroom, whether it's the prosecutor, the public defender, your victim advocate, they're there for a reason. They understand the process. So ask questions. Don't just assume that you have to make a rapid decision or an uninformed decision. Ask questions. Understand what the ramifications are of the decision. You know, I represent people charged with crimes now, and one of the first things that I ask them when they come in to meet with me is do they have a record? And typically they'll say, No, I don't have a record. Okay. Well, have you ever been arrested? Well, no, or if I was, I just paid a fine. But people don't understand paying that fine is an admission of guilt and it is a conviction on the record. So when you're paying fines, understand what you're doing. All of those things matter because when you're talking about getting a job and you say you don't have any conviction, then they said, Oh yes, you do. You need to know those things. Yeah, that's something. It is. Yes. Knowledge is power.
SPEAKER_01Knowledge is power. It really is knowledge, and you are filling us with knowledge on today. Oh my goodness. So then
Transparency Plus What Solicitor Means
SPEAKER_01um, and looking here um as what you call the palm card, where it says Susan's vision, um, maintaining transparency within the solicitor's office. Let's talk about that, about the transparency.
SPEAKER_00I think when you are transparent, people can hold you accountable. There should be no um nothing held back when you're talking about the criminal justice system, to your point, even the case that you're involved in. You need to understand what the process looks like, what resolution looks like. How much time could this person get? Is there a possibility that we're gonna be able to get a conviction on this case? Am I gonna have to show up for court? Understanding those things and making sure not only that people understand when people are arrested, but also understanding when people are convicted, cases are dismissed. The public deserves to know those things. Because there should be fairness in each case.
SPEAKER_01Right, right, definitely, definitely. So then the 12th circuit. So tell us what does that that encompasses um Florence County and what are the territory? What's the territory?
SPEAKER_00So our circuit includes two counties. It's all of Florence County and all of Marion County. There are no cutouts like the council races. If you live in the county of Marion or the County of Florence, you can vote in this election. I do want to bring up something else while you're discussing this race. By all means. Solicitor. We are the only state that calls our prosecutor solicitors. Every other state calls them the district attorney or the DA's office. So it's a prosecutor.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So see, because okay, look, from looking at television, you always hear about the DA or the prosecutor. And so, okay, so solicitor and the district attorney.
SPEAKER_00It's synonymous, it's the same thing. Isn't that something?
SPEAKER_01It is. Yeah. Yeah, thank you for that as well. Yeah, like you said, knowledge is power, definitely. So
Juvenile Crime Resources And Community Safety
SPEAKER_01then here you talk about providing additional resources. Let's talk about that, especially when it comes to uh prosecuting our juveniles.
SPEAKER_00So we see the influx in juvenile crime. We see it on the news, we see young people losing their lives to violent crime.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00And I think we're at a state at this point that that whole department needs to be revamped. They've got some good prosecutors. There's been a long-term prosecutor that's been there. I actually worked for him when I was a victim advocate. And we need more resources in there. It's so much crime in Florence County and Marion County. It's not a one-person or a two-person job. Because when you look at these cases and you can really focus on them, my goal is that we save some of these people. We don't want to see them losing their lives or graduating to the adult system. And I just believe that if we have the appropriate staff working on these cases that can really dive into what the issues are, hopefully we can provide resources and do things to make sure that these juveniles graduate from school, either go to college or become gainfully employed. That is what makes our community better and stronger. We all, it would benefit all of us for young people to have a place in this world and in our counties.
SPEAKER_01That's right, that's right, that's right. My um son just told me about one of his classmates, something that just terribly took place that he had been running. And now they've he's gone to jail for murder.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And I mean, and that's the reality of it. But when people hurt people, we have to hold them accountable. I mean, just in uh August, we saw or heard about the young child that was 11 years old that was held at gunpoint getting off the bus. Yes. That had to strip down to their underwear and walk home that way. And you know what, Miss Williams, for people that operate that way and commit crimes as egregious as that, we need a prosecutor that'll send a message that we're not gonna tolerate that in Florence County and Marion County.
SPEAKER_01Amen. Amen. That was, I mean, I I I never heard of such, but thank God they didn't hurt him.
SPEAKER_00Thank God. But as an 11-year-old, I cannot imagine how traumatic of an experience it must have been for this young person. That's right. My heart breaks just thinking about how frightened and scared that they were that day. And in fact, for them, they probably thought that they weren't gonna make it out of that situation and then to suffer the humiliation of going home in broad daylight in their underwear.
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes. And so and and so that there needs to be protection when it comes to our children at the bus stop, you know. Um, and uh the chief talked about that, about different um, she gave us scenario about what happened and the drone and how that is uh is now a big asset here in um in Florence, in the city of Florence. So um, all right, what else is there anything else that you would like to present to us in reference to the office of the solicitor and why you're run while you're running and when it comes to your platform?
Second Chances Rehabilitation And Expungement
SPEAKER_00And we talked about the violent offenders and holding them accountable and making sure that they are off the streets. We all want to be safe. This solicitor's role, it doesn't matter about partisan politics. It's much bigger than that. I haven't met a person since I've been campaigning that does not want to feel safe in their homes. My grandmother turned 90 this year. She likes to go to Walmart. She likes to go to church, she likes to work in her yard. You know, she likes to exercise and walk in her neighborhood. And having safety as a 90-year-old person or as a young person, as an 11-year-old child, that's not an unreasonable ask. But I think sometimes when we let things go and we don't nip them in the bud, we get boldness that we saw with that 11-year-old child. Because that was a bold move to do something like that. But because I also represent people charged with crimes, I understand that there is a balance approach to justice. It's not a cookie-cutter, one size fits all approach. And I'll give you an example. I represented a young person, uh, they were a junior in college, and they got arrested, so they did something wrong. But it was a victimless crime, meaning that no one got hurt. And so I was hired to represent them, was advocating zealously for my client. I called a solicitor assigned to the case to try to work out a resolution for this young person. This young person had no record. And again, as a college student, I was told, because your client is charged with X crime, we recommend X sentence. And what I was asked to do was to convince my client, or the offer was for my client to plead guilty to a charge. But do you know what that would do to somebody that's a junior in college? It would make them employable, unemployable at schools with a degree at the end of their collegiate career. And so we had to have some tough conversations to let I I had to explain why this is not justice. I understand this is what you all do, and I understand and respect that, but this situation is different. We're talking about a young person that's really trying that made a mistake. We shouldn't ruin this person's opportunity to graduate and become gainfully employed. That's our goal. Especially when you make a mistake that we can somehow rehabilitate you.
SPEAKER_01Right, that's right.
SPEAKER_00So they did a program. They did everything they were asked to do, and at the end of that, the charge was dismissed, and they were able to get their record expunged. And so you have to have somebody that really understands that justice can be different under different lenses. We cannot use a one-size-fits-all approach because it can hurt people that we could help.
SPEAKER_01That's good, that's good. And and the programs are are good. Um again, as I said, we're talking back with the chief, she spoke of the very same thing when it comes to um their programs to help rehabilitate those. And that that's good, that's good stuff. That's good.
SPEAKER_00And I just want to preface it this way as well. But when you have victims on crimes, that that was a victimless situation. Right, right. When you have victims on crime and crimes, you have to consider their input as well. Victims deserve respect, they deserve to be treated with dignity. And so we have to consider all of those things. But and I my goal is to make sure that we have transparency about these cases, work together to make smart, wise decisions.
SPEAKER_01There you go. There you go. Wisdom plays a very big part in
Voting Dates Thanks And Closing Notes
SPEAKER_01it. It does, it does. Well, early voting begins when? October 19th. October 19th. October 19th, everyone.
SPEAKER_00And ends on October 31st. So before you go trick-or-treating, go vote.
SPEAKER_01Definitely, definitely. And people can register up until October the 13th. Is that correct? I think it is.
SPEAKER_00It's the first um first week. It's 30 days before the election. 30 days before the election.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And then we'll have the election on November 3rd.
SPEAKER_01All right, all right. And Susan McGill, everyone, that's who you need to remember. I look forward to working for you. Sounds great. Sounds great. Thank you ever so much for coming. Thank you. Uh, to share with us on Native Jumps. And to, I tell you, to you're so informative. Of course, as an attorney, you would be. Yeah. That was expected. So we thank you ever so much for that. I appreciate that. All right, everyone. Thank you ever so much for watching. And remember, here at Savannah Group Baptist Church, we have Bible study on Wednesday evening, 6 30 p.m., youth Bible study, as well as Bible study for adults. That is the day of wisdom. Wednesday is the day of wisdom. And as well as on Sunday morning, 9 45, is when our worship begins. And so we would love to have you come in and worship with us here at the Savannah Grove Baptist Church, where our pastor is the Reverend Dr. Ralph W. Cantee Sr. So our pastor and our youth pastor is Pastor Nick, Pastor Nicholas Bostik. Thank you ever so much for watching, and we'll see you next week on Native Drums.
