Glenn “Monty” Bell knows South Carolina law better than most people.
The Darlington County native should know the law. He’s worked not only as a criminal defense attorney, but also as magistrate judge and as a senior prosecutor in the Office of the Solicitor for the 4th Judicial Circuit.
Now, Bell is seeking the top spot in the solicitor’s office.
“From the time I was a child, my dream has been to serve the community that raised me,” Bell said. “I think that the most effective way I can do that is as solicitor.”
Bell graduated from Mayo Magnet School for Math Science and Tech in 1999. Following high school, he went on to the renowned Morehouse College in Atlanta.
In 2007, he earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina Law School and returned home to practice. In the 17 years since, he has fought for fellow residents on both sides of the courtroom.
As solicitor, Bell intends to strengthen and expand the 4th Circuit’s Pretrial Intervention Program, which, like similar programs across the U.S., has shown great success in the past. Diversion programs slash recidivism rates among nonviolent offenders and help defendants set their lives onto the right path.
In addition, allowing nonviolent offenders to avoid trial frees up court time for the alleged murderers, rapists and otherwise violent individuals, Bell said.
A robust diversion program would also clear up the growing backlog of cases on the docket, which not only strains court resources but also violates a defendant’s Constitutional right to a speedy trial.
Another pressing issue Bell intends to address is the explosion of drug overdoses over the past several years, particularly those involving the deadly opioid fentanyl. The South Carolina Legislature took action last year, putting a bill on the governor’s desk that created felony charges relating to the trafficking and possession of fentanyl.
The bill was signed into law in August.
“If elected as solicitor, I will utilize the new law and new sentencing guidelines to help curb this epidemic that is tearing families apart,” Bell said. “I will also do everything in my power to ensure that Narcan is available to as many people, community organizations and agencies as possible to save lives in the middle of opioid overdoses.”
Narcan, or naloxone, can be obtained from pharmacies without a prescription. It is increasingly being stocked by public libraries, hotels and other locations that see a number of drug overdoses.
Another issue Bell is passionate about is resources to help victims of violent crimes take their lives back. Recent news reports indicate that South Carolina is anticipating a 43% ($12 million) decrease in funding through the Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA.
Bell said as solicitor, he would join activists, victims’ advocates and state Attorney General Alan Wilson in asking the General Assembly to allocate $15 million in state funds to bridge the gap so all victims can get the assistance they need to recover from their ordeal.
Bell is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the Darlington County Bar and the Chesterfield County Bar Association. He is also a board member at the Pee Dee Math, Science and Technology Academy, Carolina Pines Hospital, the Butler Heritage Foundation and the Hartsville Community Center Building Commission.
He is a former board member of the Black Creek Arts Council and the Byerly Foundation, as well as a former member of the S.C. Summary Court Judge Association and the South Carolina Association for Justice.
Bell is a member of Mount Rona Lodge #348, a lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a current member of the Hartsville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.
