Mistrial declared in case of Bluffton woman’s 2014 murder

A mistrial was declared Wednesday morning in the case of a Hollywood man accused of killing a Bluffton woman in 2014 after evidence inadvertently presented by the prosecution in front of a jury was deemed inadmissible.

The trial of Jerry Lee Manigault, 56, will be rescheduled after Circuit Court Judge Craig Brown decided in a pre-trial meeting with 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone and Beaufort County Chief Public Defender Trasi Campbell that the Tuesday testimony of Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Detective Matt Downing could suggest to the jury that the suspect had a prior criminal record and affect its ability to make a decision. Downing testified about a S.C. Department of Corrections ID card found on Manigault at the time of his May 12, 2014, arrest.

“I do not believe at all that such testimony was intentionally elicited by the state,” Brown said before the court. “I believe that it was inadvertent on the behalf of the state as well as the defense in overlooking that item of evidence.”

Jurors were asked to leave the courtroom for around an hour on Tuesday after Downing identified the card in Manigault’s wallet as a DOC identification card. The card was not shown to the jury, but the reference was said aloud while Downing was on the stand.

When Downing identified the card as he was questioned by Stone, Campbell objected, saying jurors may make judgments based on prior convictions against Manigault. Campbell requested a mistrial.

Brown allowed the trial to continue until almost 5 p.m. on Tuesday after instructing jurors to disregard Downing’s statement before reversing his decision on Wednesday morning.

“It is clear that the testimony was error and I believe that the compounding effect of such testimony concerning the identification card, necessitates the court granting a mistrial,” Brown said. “This is not something that is easy for me. In fact, this is the first mistrial I’ve granted since being on the bench.”

Stone said he believes the court made the right decision in declaring a mistrial and said he and fellow prosecutors will be prepared for another trial when it is rescheduled.

Campbell declined to comment on the mistrial, citing the pending case.

Manigault faces burglary, sexual assault and murder charges in connection with the death of 70-year-old Polly Ann Mitchell on May 12, 2014. Mitchell was found with a television cord wrapped around her neck at her 168 Buck Island Road home.

Members of Mitchell’s family were visibly upset on Wednesday when Brown declared a mistrial and declined to comment about the ongoing case.

Downing’s Tuesday testimony joined the testimony of nine others, including members of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the Bluffton Police Department and Beaufort County EMS; a forensic pathologist; Mitchell’s grandson Derrick Bolden; Mitchell’s friend Helen Warren; and Filipe Pinckney, a man who lived near Mitchell.

Stone said in his opening statement that Manigault was found with a backpack belonging to Mitchell with her jewelry inside, along with money with blood on it. He was wearing Mitchell’s ring on one of his fingers, Stone said.

Mitchell, he said, was beaten, raped and choked prior to her death at her 16 Buck Island Road home.

Stone also said that Mitchell had traces of Manigault’s flesh under her fingernails and that Manigault had blood on his underwear when he was taken into custody.

Campbell told the jury that shoe impressions left at Mitchell’s home were never compared with the shoes Manigault wore, and that semen found on Mitchell’s nightgown did not belong to Manigault.

Lt. Joseph George of the Bluffton Police Department, who was one of the first responders to arrive at Mitchell’s home, told the jury he found her deceased.

Dr. Darren Monroe, a forensic pathologist working with the Medical University of South Carolina at the time of Mitchell’s death, assisted on Mitchell’s autopsy and responded to the scene.

Monroe held up the television cord allegedly used to choke Mitchell in court.

Manigault is also awaiting trial on charges of kidnapping, strong-arm robbery and murder in connection with the death of 77-year-old Julia Ann Mudgett of Hollywood, a community south of Charleston.

Manigault allegedly broke into Mudgett’s home between May 4 and May 6, 2014, and killed her.

He was seen driving Mudgett’s vehicle around Bluffton, officials said at the time of his arrest.

This story was originally published March 1, 2017 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Mistrial declared in case of Bluffton woman’s 2014 murder."