Prosecutor who indicted Harrell a straight shooter, say Democratic and Republican former bosses
David Pascoe, who convinced a Richland County grand jury to indict S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, has a reputation as a savvy, experienced fighting prosecutor.
“He’s smart, has integrity and was one of the best prosecutors who ever worked for me – and I had a lot of good ones,” said former 5th Circuit Solicitor Barney Giese.
Earlier this summer, after it looked like he might have to give up the State Grand Jury investigation of Harrell, Attorney General Alan Wilson got the permission of Circuit Judge Casey Manning to hand the case to Pascoe.
Pascoe, one of 15 elected prosecutors in South Carolina, oversees criminal cases in the 1st Circuit’s Calhoun, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties. Although wielding clout in that circuit, statewide he is not exactly a household name.
In 1989, Pascoe graduated magna cum laude from The Citadel. He graduated from the University of South Carolina’s law school in 1993.
While in law school, Pascoe was hired by Republican then-U.S. Attorney Bart Daniel during the Lost Trust corruption scandal that targeted members of the General Assembly. Daniel is now one of Harrell’s lawyers.
After law school, Pascoe worked as a prosecutor for both Republicans and Democrats. He was first hired as an assistant solicitor by then-5th Circuit Solicitor Dick Harpootlian, a Democrat, and continued in that office under Giese, when Giese was a Republican. Pascoe then worked as a prosecutor for Republican Attorney General Charlie Condon, then went back to Giese’s office.
In 2004, Pascoe, running as a Democrat, won election to the 1st Circuit Solicitor’s job. In 2011, his fellow solicitors elected him president of the state solicitors’ association.
Johnny Gasser, a Columbia defense attorney who is a former U.S. attorney who worked with Pascoe in Giese’s office, called Pascoe “an exceptional trial lawyer – meticulous, deliberate and a person who works closely with other prosecutors and law enforcement in any case.”
Jack Swerling, a Columbia lawyer who is a statewide authority on murder cases, saw Pascoe’s work firsthand when Pascoe prosecuted a man who had invaded Swerling’s home and tied him up along with his family.
“He’s great on his feet, combining knowledge of the facts of the case with the law and how to handle witnesses – and also, he’s a person who’s going to do what’s right.”
This story was originally published September 10, 2014 at 7:35 PM with the headline "Prosecutor who indicted Harrell a straight shooter, say Democratic and Republican former bosses."