Charge added in legal-advice case: Man accused of wrongly practicing law
A North Charleston man accused of telling criminal defendants he could help with their legal problems has been hit with a third charge of unauthorized practice of law.
David Lee Edward Mitchell, 64, was already being held in the Charleston County jail on two counts of passing himself off as legal expert when the new charge was filed.
A Charleston County Sheriff's Office affidavit released Thursday said that during a court proceeding, a defendant had given Mitchell approximately $300 to represent him because he "was dissatisfied with the current lawyer assigned" to his case, court papers say.
The affidavit added that Mitchell "is not a lawyer or an active paralegal" and does not have the authority to practice law or give legal advice.
The charge was raised by 9th Circuit Public Defender Ashley Pennington, who told authorities some of his office's clients reported Mitchell had been giving legal advice to several current or former jail inmates while collecting money and acting as a lawyer. The S.C. Bar does not list an attorney licensed to practice under Mitchell's name.
At his bond hearing Thursday, Magistrate Linda Lombard placed a $50,000 bond on the new charge, giving Mitchell a total of $150,000 in bonds set. Each offense draws up to five years in state prison.
As a condition of the bond, Mitchell also cannot appear within one block of any jail in South Carolina, or give advice under the guise of being a lawyer, paralegal or legal expert.
Mitchell did not speak during his brief video appearance from the Charleston County jail. He remained seated in a wheelchair.
The other two counts against Mitchell, filed by North Charleston police, allege he became involved in the case of another criminal defendant, and offered to help another man in a land dispute.
Mitchell earlier identified himself as a former evangelist who now operates the Refreshing Springs Christian Fellowship.
Another enterprise that he identified as running he called The People's Advocate.
