Orangeburg County: Three Democrats running for coroner – The Times and Democrat

The three candidates in the primary race to become Orangeburg Countys next coroner all cite their experience, saying they will work to improve the office.

Orangeburg County Coroner Samuetta Marshall is not running for re-election.

Sean Fogle, Montez P.V. Haynes and Valencia Golden-Young will face each other in the June 11 Democratic primary.

No Republican filed for the seat.

Fogle has spent 20 years as a deputy coroner in the Orangeburg County Coroners Office, 13 of them as chief deputy coroner.

I am running because experience in this office is an absolute necessity to ensure Orangeburg County residents receive the dignity, respect and compassion they deserve in their most difficult time of need. I humbly offer my 20 years of experience as well as my commitment and professionalism, to all Orangeburg County residents. I am running to make a difference, the 50-year-old said.

This is his first time running for the coroners office, but his platform is clear.

My platform is education, collaboration and accreditation. I would like to provide the citizens of Orangeburg County with more information on what services the coroners office can provide, as well as provide resources and give information on, for example, what other options are available if they cant afford a funeral home, Fogle said.

He said he would also like to strengthen the relationship between the coroners office and the various agencies it works with. Fogle said he would also like to work more closely with schools and colleges on preparing students interested in forensic science, pathology and criminal justice.

I would finally like to see the coroners office become an accredited agency. The accreditation process provides the coroner and medical examiner offices the opportunity to self-assess and subsequently have auditors to review applicable standards. It allows coroner and medical examiner offices to ensure they are conducting business practices and procedures in compliance with established national standards, Fogle said.

He said accreditation also enables the office to receive grants and other resources to fund and staff the office, as well as get much-needed equipment to help in properly investigating cases.

Fogle said he has the most experience to do the job.

I feel like Ive already done what my opponents are not doing. I want the citizens of Orangeburg County to feel even during their most difficult time that they have a coroners office that took the time to answer their questions but, more importantly, listen to their concerns, he said.

Fogle continued, Regardless of what I have to do, I listen because in the end they feel better and thank me for taking that time with them. I feel better because I know I made things just a little bit easier for someone that day.

Fogle, who is single with no children, was born and raised in Holly Hill, where he currently lives.

The 1991 graduate of Holly Hill-Roberts High School went on to graduate from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Decatur, Georgia in 1993. He later attended Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia with a major in computer networking technology.

Fogle is a member of the South Carolina Coroners Association and the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.

He is also a member of First Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Santee and serves as minister of music at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Ridgeville.

I have the proven leadership and the proven experience needed to move the office in the right direction, he said.

Haynes is an Orangeburg resident who currently works as a deputy coroner in the Bamberg County Coroners Office. He said he would like to move the Orangeburg office forward with new ideas.

I am running for office because ever since I was in high school, I have enjoyed helping people during their worst time of life, which is usually death. I currently work as a deputy coroner and would like to use my experience and education to help move Orangeburg County forward with good leadership, integrity and new ideas, the 39-year-old said.

This is Haynes first time running for the coroners office, but he said his goals for the office are in place.

I would like to hire and train qualified staff to meet the needs of Orangeburg County. With Orangeburg County being the second-largest county in South Carolina, it is essential that there is enough manpower. It is my plan that we can arrive to any area of the county within one hour, he said.

Haynes continued, This will also allow the staff to have the proper time to do investigations and answer questions of the family without having to rush. I would also like the coroners office and law enforcement to have a collaborative relationship to ensure that death investigations are handled properly and that the needs of the citizens are met through transparent communication.

He said he also seeks to have a presence in the community beyond his campaign for office.

I would like to be in the community outside of campaigning. The person selected as coroner is a community leader and should be seen in the community and not only when death occurs, Haynes said.

The Orangeburg native said he has the managerial experience to do the job, having managed several businesses in the county. He also serves as a minister and mens ministry leader at Life Cathedral Church in Orangeburg.

Haynes is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., the Elks Lodge, the Rotary Club and the Bowman and Orangeburg chapters of the NAACP. He is also a member of the S.C. Coroners Association and the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association.

Married with two children, Haynes is a licensed insurance agent and funeral director and co-founder of Greater Orangeburg Funeral Home.

He has an associate degree in mortuary science from Piedmont Technical College and a bachelors degree in sociology from Claflin University. Haynes, a certified crematory operator, also earned a masters degree in chaplaincy from Columbia International University and an honorary Doctor of Arts degree in theology from the School of the Great Commission Bible College.

Haynes was also selected as the Orangeburg County Community of Character initiatives honoree for April for exemplifying selflessness.

Golden-Young began her service as a deputy coroner in the Orangeburg County Coroners Office in 2018. She said she realized that serving as coroner was her calling and purpose after her first year of service.

I started preparing myself. I started developing relationships with other agencies, educating myself with the laws and requirements of the coroners office and training, some of which I personally paid for out of pocket, she said.

I wanted to make sure I would be prepared to present the best me possible for the citizens of Orangeburg. ... This is my first time running for office, but I am prepared, Golden-Young said.

The 45-year-old said she doesnt take the concerns of Orangeburg County families and the offices supporting agencies lightly.

I will fill in the gaps between the coroners office and the community to ensure a solid foundation. I will make sure that resources are available to the communities at all times, not on a per-request basis, she said.

This would include having an advocate who can assist families with and provide the resources for organ and tissues donations, receiving personal effects, assistance with bringing a service member home and more, Golden-Young said.

Putting minimum standards in place for all cases, including toxicology and DNA cards and more is another of her goals.

I will make sure that all investigations have the resources needed to ensure an adequate response time. Once this foundation is solid, I will work toward having autopsies completed in Orangeburg County when possible and build toward national accreditation for the Orangeburg County Coroners Office, Golden-Young said.

She said she wants to continue to be a visible and approachable face in the community.

Golden-Young grew up in St. Matthews and currently resides in Holly Hill. She and her husband, Antoine, have three children: Joana Young, Dejah Hester and Jordan (Edwyn) Barnett. They are the grandparents of Jaxon Barrett.

The Calhoun County High School graduate is also a 2023 graduate of the Death Investigation Academy. She also received a scholarship from the National Association of Attorneys General in 2023 to receive National Center of Forensics training. Her training includes, but is not limited to, child fatality investigations training from the USC School of Laws Childrens Law Center.

As of May 2023, South Carolina coroners and deputy coroners are now first responders. I have since become CPR certified, Narcan certified and have become a member of the Community Emergence Response Team, she said.

Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD

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Orangeburg County: Three Democrats running for coroner - The Times and Democrat