Clergy group to hold peace rally

A group of clergy is organizing a peace rally Thursday in hope of calming tensions in Colleton County and reducing violence that has left this rural area with seven homicides in six months.

The event, organized by the Colleton Ministerial Alliance, will take place at 10 a.m. at Saints Center Ministries, 106 Colson St., in Walterboro.

The Rev. Leon Maxwell of Trinity AME Church in Round-O said organizers were in the process of planning the rally when the latest killing occurred early Saturday.

Lamont Truesdale, 31, of Jacksonboro, was shot after he reportedly robbed Leon's nightclub in the Round-O area with a shotgun, according to the Colleton County Sheriff's Office. Elijah Martin, 58, of Cottageville was charged with murder in the killing, authorities said.

Maxwell said such violence is unusual in this rural county of about 38,000 people, which has seen an increase in gang activity in recent years.

Incidents such as the deadly shooting of a 38-year-old mother of four earlier this month make some question whether "we are getting sort of numb to the sting of death," he said.

Adela "Nell" Pinckney was killed after a shotgun blast tore through her bedroom window and headboard while she was lying in bed with her 11-year-old son. Deputies have made no arrests in the case, and they have said leads are scarce.

Organizers of the peace rally hope to unite the community, find ways to comfort the victims and survivors of violence and promote cooperation with law enforcement, Maxwell said. "We will ask those in attendance to work with us in a grass-roots effort," he said.

Reach Glenn Smith at 937-5556 or gsmith@postandcourier.com.