24 Nov Press Release: Connor Hickman v. National Collegiate Athletic Association

November 21, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUDGE GRANTS EMERGENCY ORDER AGAINST NCAA

CONNOR HICKMAN ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IMMEDIATELY 

FOR THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

Charleston, SC – Connor Hickman, a 23-year-old grad student at the College of Charleston, is finally able to play for the Cougars men’s basketball team. He will make his first appearance this afternoon at 3pm against the University of Massachusetts at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam and shall remain eligible until a formal court hearing is held the week of December 8, 2025. Hickman is represented by The Peper Law Firm, PA of Charleston, SC and Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick of Toledo, Ohio.

The order granted Tuesday in Charleston County allows Hickman to compete immediately as the court reviews his ongoing petition for an additional year of eligibility.

After starting 7 of Cincinnati’s first 8 games of the 2024 – 25 season, Hickman suffered a significant injury prior to his 9th game, which was diagnosed as a broken foot on December 18, 2025. However, at the directive of Cincinnati’s medical staff, he attempted to participate in 4 additional games, thereby exceeding the 10-game limit to qualify for a medical hardship, per the NCAA. Contrary to the best practices of sports medicine, however, Hickman was never informed by UC medical staff that surgery was an option until almost 2 months after the injury, which was performed. Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, NC on February 18, 2025. Given the certainty that he’d receive a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA this summer, Hickman transferred to the College of Charleston to play his final season for Coach Chris Mack.

On November 6, 2025, however, the NCAA denied his medical hardship waiver, and on November 17, 2025, Hickman moved for an emergency temporary restraining order allowing him to play immediately. As reflected in the order, the Court found Hickman likely to succeed on the merits of his claims against the NCAA and if not allowed to play immediately, will continue to suffer irreparable harm. Hickman has already missed the College of Charleston’s first five games of the 2025-26 season, and the Cougars are scheduled to play 3 additional games in St. Thomas, USVI this weekend before returning home to play Belmont on November 30, 2025.

Lead attorney Mark A. Peper of the Peper Law Firm in Charleston, South Carolina issued the following statement:

“Connor deserves this victory and is ecstatic to finally join his teammates on the court. The adults in the room at UC failed him, as did the NCAA when given the chance to make it right. With the objective medical documentation presented to the Judge this week, coupled with the ongoing support of both athletic departments at Cincinnati and Charleston, we hope the NCAA will finally allow Connor to play this season without the need for additional litigation. Connor’s senior year was cut short through no fault of his own, and just as the NCAA bylaws allow, he deserves the opportunity to complete his college career both on and off the court. Connor and his fiancé look forward to finally enjoying everything Charleston has to offer, to include the best basketball fans in America.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

The Peper Law Firm, PA (843-225-2520 / mark@peperlawfirm.com)

ORDER Granting TRO

23 Apr Alan Ali vs. SC Democratic Party Press Release

April 23, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LT. ALAN ALI RELEASES STATEMENT ON ORDER DENYING BALLOT ACCESS

Charleston County, SC – A South Carolina Circuit Court Judge issued an Order today adopting the position of the SC Democratic Party that, regardless of what the Constitution and laws of South Carolina say, the party has a right to adopt, apply, and enforce its own rules whenever and however it pleases.

The order itself fails to analyze the legal argument made by Lt. Ali. More specifically, the Order completely ignores the evidence presented in support of his argument that the party rule cited as the reason for refusing to certify him violates his constitutional right to due process and equal protection. In fact, and despite providing the Court with evidence of same, the Order fails to even consider that multiple lifelong Republicans who previously ran as Republican candidates were recently certified by the Democratic Party to run as Democrats.

In response to the ruling, Lt. Ali issued the following statement:

“I am disappointed with today’s decision that says the Democratic Party can do whatever they want, whenever they want, to protect party incumbents and prevent the voters from having a choice at the ballot. I have no problem with the party having their own rules, but they should be required to apply them equally to everyone. That is what the law requires and what our citizens demand. The fight to give voters the ability to choose their next Sheriff is not over. I believe in our Constitution, and I’m not laying down.”

Lead attorney Mark A. Peper of The Peper Law Firm, PA issued the following statement:

“Lt. Ali is disappointed with today’s decision and is prayerfully contemplating his next steps. While I firmly believe an appeal of this Order to the South Carolina Supreme Court would be prudent, it would have to be briefed, argued, and ruled upon in the next 48 hours to avoid postponing the June 11 primary, which admittedly, would take a herculean effort. That said, our team remains ready and able to fight this injustice and will continue to advise and support Lt. Ali, his family, and all who stand for democracy.”

For media inquiries, please contact:

mark@peperlawfirm.com / alanali@bellsouth.net

VIEW FILED ORDER

18 May Newington Press Release

May 18, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWO TEACHER ASSISTANTS ARRESTED FOR ASSAULTING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT

Summerville, SC – Two former teacher assistants at Newington Elementary School have been arrested for violently assaulting an 11-year-old special needs student. The minor child, who is non-verbal and deaf, was assaulted in the autism room the morning of May 8 and May 10, 2023. Both incidents were captured on video surveillance and provided to the Summerville Police Department.

On May 10, 2023, Emily Westermann is seen grabbing the special needs student from behind and shoving the child while lifting her fist, causing him to lose his balance. She then shoves the student to the ground before exiting the classroom. A short time later, Westermann was escorted off the premises. She was arrested on May 16, 2023 and charged with Assault & Battery 3rd Degree.

Further investigations revealed a separate assault on May 8, 2023. Patricia Fuller, a teacher’s aide, is seen pinching and pushing the special needs student before forcefully grabbing him by the neck and shoving him into his chair. While seated, Fuller continued to violently grab the student by the neck and jaw. As the assault progresses, the student continues to flinch and scream in fear while raising his arms into a defensive posture. Fuller continues to scream in the student’s face while rolling up her sleeves before being removed from the classroom. Fuller was arrested on May 18, 2023 and charged with Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child, a felony carrying up to 10 years in prison.

On behalf of the family of the special needs child, The Peper Law Firm, PA of Charleston, SC, issued the following statement:

“As parents, we expect our children to be safe from harm when we walk them into school each morning. To violently attack any student for any reason is intolerable; to attack a non-verbal, deaf, special needs student out of pure frustration is unforgivable. We intend to hold these individuals and those responsible for their employ accountable with the same wrath of fury directed upon them.”

03 Mar Seacoast Press Release

March 3, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VICTIMS RESPOND TO ARREST OF FORMER SEACOAST YOUTH PASTOR

Charleston, SC – A former youth pastor at Seacoast Church has been arrested on 13 counts of Assault & Battery 2nd degree. He is currently detained at the Al Cannon Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing scheduled for Saturday, March 4, 2023, at 10am.

In December 2022, Seacoast Church placed its Youth Pastor, Vernon Willis, on administrative leave after multiple minors reported being touched inappropriately by Willis while attending youth group at Seacoast Church in North Charleston, SC. Following an internal investigation, Seacoast families were informed in a letter dated December 14, 2022 of his ultimate termination and encouraged to report any concerns to Seacoast Executive Team members.

With the assistance of the North Charleston Police Department, forensic evaluations were conducted on multiple minor children, culminating in arrest warrants being issued and served on Mr. Willis.

“Immediately upon being retained by these families, The Peper Law Firm initiated an investigation into the acts of Mr. Willis and Seacoast Church. Our investigation confirmed that Seacoast Church allowed Mr. Willis unfettered access to one-on-one contact with multiple female minors without any supervision, all while acting within the course and scope of his employment. Further, Seacoast had direct knowledge of his proclivity to use his role as youth pastor to unlawfully touch and seclude minor females on the church campus as far back as 2020, yet continued his employ without providing any training or supervision. Seacoast Church had the ability to protect these innocent children and purposely failed to do so. This is intolerable, and the families intend to hold Mr. Willis and Seacoast responsible for their actions and inactions.”

For media inquiries, please contact:
The Peper Law Firm, PA – 843-225-2520 / mark@peperlawfirm.com

17 Aug Lawsuit filed against Laurens County sheriff over jail death

Original Source: Post & Courier

A lawsuit was filed Aug. 15 against Laurens County Sheriff Don Reynolds in connection with the death of Jarvis Evans, who was found unresponsive in a holding cell after being restrained and Tasered.

Mark Peper, of Charleston-based The Peper Law Firm, filed the lawsuit with the 8th Judicial Circuit on behalf of Evans’ mother, Catherine Cullen Evans. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers is also representing the Evans family in the case.

Peper said a second lawsuit would be filed against the deputies involved.

“We are going to hold them accountable,” Peper said during a news conference Aug. 16. “We are going to hold them accountable for tasing a restrained Black man, for taking him to jail when he should have gone to a hospital.”

Laurens County sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Courtney Snow told The Post and Courier on Aug. 17 that the Sheriff’s Office had no comment on the lawsuit.

The July 30, 2021, death of Evans bears close similarities to an incident in Charleston County.

In May 2021, Jamal Sutherland, a 31-year-old Black man with mental illness, died in the county jail after he was pepper-sprayed, shocked with Tasers, and restrained. The county reached a $10 million settlement with Sutherland’s family, who were also represented by Peper.

The lawsuit in Laurens County is based around a 911 call made by Evans and deputy bodycam footage inside the jail. A link to a compiled video was provided by The Peper Law Firm.

Evans, 40, called 911 on July 29, 2021, and said he was “afraid for his life because there were people with guns in his house.” Evans’ mother arrived at the scene and told the operator her son was mentally ill and possibly on drugs, according to the lawsuit.

Evans was not taken to the hospital by deputies. He was charged with breach of peace and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors, and taken to the R. Eugene Johnson Detention Center at 10:56 p.m.

The video, which is time-stamped, shows deputies held a struggling Evans by the neck, pinned him on the ground to switch restraints and put a spit mask on him.

“JDC deputies refused to contact and request appropriate medical intervention from Southern Health,” the lawsuit claims. “JDC deputies lifted (Evans), who was already restrained behind the back by handcuffs, leg restraints and a spit mask, off the ground and into an emergency restraint chair to punish him.”

A Taser was used at least three times on Evans while several deputies tried to restrain him in the chair, which can be seen and heard in the video. Evans was then wheeled into a holding cell.

A deputy later noticed Evans was unresponsive in the holding cell, according to the lawsuit. Laurens County Emergency Medical Services responded and transported Evans to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:59 a.m.

According to the lawsuit, Evans was taken directly to the hospital on two previous instances when deputies responded to his home — in December 2018 and January 2021.

Catherine Evans said on Aug. 16 her son should have received medical care and believed the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office should be held responsible for her son’s death.

15 Aug Evans Press Release

August 15, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EVANS FAMILY ANNOUNCES FILING OF LAWSUIT AGAINST LAURENS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Laurens, SC – In response to the agreement reached between the Estate of Jamal Sutherland and the government entities announced at last evening’s Charleston County Council meeting, the family of Jamal Sutherland offers the following:

Justice for Jamal will come in many forms. We are pleased to have negotiated a settlement with the government entities that provides the type of civil justice he deserves, but our work is not yet done. With God’s help, we will continue the necessary conversations with local, state, and federal leaders to ensure that everyone affected by mental illness is treated with the same dignity and respect we all deserve and demand. As we move forward, please continue to pray for our family, our community, each other, and justice for Jamal.

While the agreement announced last evening resolves the claims against the government entities and their individual employees, to include the City of North Charleston, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, and Charleston County, Attorney Mark A. Peper and Attorney Gary Christmas intend to aggressively pursue litigation against all others responsible for Jamal’s tragic death, to include Palmetto Behavioral Health and the third-party medical provider at the Charleston County jail, Wellpath.

For media inquiries, please contact the Evans family via their counsel:
The Peper Law Firm, PA – 843-225-2520 – mark@peperlawfirm.com
Henderson Law Group – 843-884-6855 – rhmyers@hendersonlawgroupsc.com