If Richland County officials hoped to keep secret the millions they are paying to avoid a trial in an Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center dead inmate’s wrongful death lawsuit, their hopes were dashed Monday morning in a Charleston federal courtroom.
After all, county council member Paul Livingston had refused to talk about a possible settlement in the 2022 lawsuit when contacted a few weeks ago by a State newspaper reporter. An item on the county council agenda had indicated the 11-member council had discussed the lawsuit in an executive session.
But Monday morning, during a settlement hearing in the court of U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel, the amount was disclosed by Columbia attorney Barkari Sellers, who represented Lakeshia Butler, mother of the dead inmate, Lason Butler, 27…