Ralph E. Hoisington

Ralph Edward Hoisington worked hard and effectively for his clients — the people of the Ninth Judicial Circuit. The death of the top prosecutor for Charleston and Berkeley counties at age 59 after a six-month struggle with cancer deprives us of an outstanding public servant who won his fair share of cases — and won lasting respect from both his allies and adversaries in the courtroom.

Charleston attorney Stephen Schmutz recalls his close friend "way before law": "He was the same kind of lawyer that he was a person. I heard somebody say about him, 'Any time you asked Ralph a question, you got a pause and some thinking before he answered it.' He was a contemplative, philosophical type of person."

Mr. Hoisington's varied background helped develop that reflective perspective. According to our news accounts, the Memphis native worked "at McDonald's and on a road construction crew," as a "mail clerk, a wool mill machinery operator, a plumber and a movie extra." He also served in the U.S. Army before graduating from the College of Charleston and working his way through the University of South Carolina Law School.

He then worked his way up as a deputy solicitor, assistant U.S. attorney and Mount Pleasant municipal judge before successfully running for solicitor in 2000 and winning re-election in 2004.

Charleston County Bar Association President Jerry Theos echoed the widespread praise of Mr. Hoisington, telling us: "He was a zealous lawyer but also a compassionate person and a very honorable lawyer. You could certainly trust what he said."

Mr. Hoisington pushed to reduce the backlog of criminal cases clogging the system, improve the electronic monitoring of defendants awaiting trial, slow the insidious spread of methamphetamine traffic and assure "a high level of scrutiny" on the release of mentally ill violent offenders. Yet his highest aim was to ease the ordeal of crime's victims. He recalled being robbed at gunpoint — and seeing that gun's trigger pulled. He told our reporter: "I know what it's like to be on the end of that gun. I know the fear."

On his office's Web site, he offered this assurance to others who have known that fear: "Too often in our criminal justice system, the rights of the crime victim have taken a backseat to the rights afforded the perpetrator. ... Our goal is to minimize the personal hardship and inconvenience which may result from your participation in the criminal justice system."

Ralph Hoisington maximized his positive impact by vigorously representing crime's victims. His skilled and dogged pursuit of justice made this a better community.