Student testifies during couple’s abuse trial

DARLINGTON — A 20 year-old college student broke down in tears as she testified she was sexually abused by her mother’s ex-husband, who is on trial with his former girlfriend for the alleged abuse of her two children.

Glenn Russell Lee, 59, of Darlington was arrested in 2008 and is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, lewd act upon a minor and two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.

Donna Marie Buie, 30, of Darlington is charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child.

The 20-year-old told Suzanne Mayes of the S.C. Commission on Prosecution Coordination, who is prosecuting the case, that her mother was married to Lee, who she called “Dusty,” and they lived as a family in his Clara Drive home more than 10 years ago.

The witness became emotional while recalling a instance of abuse that happened in July 1999. She said she had fallen asleep in the living room while watching TV when something awakened her.

“I feel asleep and woke up and Dusty was on top of me,” she said, crying.

The victim testified her sister walked in and saw what was happening. The two told their grandmother what happened the next day.

The 20-year-old said that wasn’t the first instance of abuse. She testified Lee forced her to watch pornographic videos with him while he tried to touch her.

Another incident happened when she and Lee went for a boat road ride and a swim at a nearby lake, she said.

She testified she asked Lee to throw her in the air, and he agreed to do so if she touched his private area.

Law enforcement officers were contacted about the alleged abuse, but more than three years had passed before the victim got a phone call from Darlington authorities telling her the case would go to court.

The lawyers in this current trial met for a hearing Monday before Fourth Circuit Court Judge Michael Baxley, who is presiding over the case, to decide if the 20-year-old’s testimony would be admissible.

During that hearing, the 20-year-old said Lee was never tried on charges in connection with her abuse because, although the prosecutors wanted to go forward with the case, they left it up to the victim who said she didn’t want to go participate in the trial because she didn’t want to re-live the abuse.

Baxley allowed her testimony because he said it is demonstrative of a common scheme or plan, as her account of abuse is similar to that of Buie’s daughter whom Lee is accused of molesting.

Baxley told the jury her testimony was not to be viewed as evidence that a bad act was committed in this case.

Jackie Boan, Lee’s tenant and employee, also testified Wednesday, the second day of the trial, and told the jury she snorted cocaine and played strip poker with the defendants.

Boan told the court she walked in on Lee molesting Buie’s daughter, but didn’t contact authorities.

“I walked in and I saw his hand down (the victim’s) pants,” Boan said.

When asked why she didn’t tell law enforcement, Boan replied, “Honestly because I was so strung out on drugs and I didn’t want anybody to know about it.”

Boan testified that she later tried to tell Buie about what she saw Lee doing to her daughter.

“She was just messed up. She didn’t really have no response to what I said,” Boan said. “She was messed up all the time ... she used to take cocaine ... and Dusty’s methodone.”

Boan went on to say that Lee’s Clara Drive residence “was like a free drug house.”

There was hardly a day that went by when cocaine lines weren’t on a mirror in the home, she said.

Mayes and Assistant 4th Circuit Solicitor Patti McKenzie who is also prosecuting the case, rested the state’s case Tuesday afternoon.

Hartsville attorney Paul Cannarella and 4th Circuit Public Defender Rick Jones who are representing Lee and Buie, respectively, exercised their rights and did not present a case.

Both defendants told Baxley they would not take the stand in their own defense.

Baxley dismissed court for the day Tuesday afternoon because of the heat in the courtroom and the jury room. 

At the end of Tuesday’s proceedings, Baxley ordered that Buie and Lee be taken into custody.

Baxley said he allowed both of the suspects to remain out on bond so they could aid in their defense. Now that the state had presented its case, he said, they should be taken into custody.

Closing arguments and the charging of the jury are expected to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday.