Horry County home at center of 2023 cross burning to remain closed amid appeal

CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — The owner of a now-closed Horry County home at the center of a November 2023 cross burning hoped to get her keys back on Tuesday, but a judge kept that from happening.

Janet Butler’s 1400 Corbett Drive home was deemed a public nuisance in March, with 15th Circuit Court Judge William Seals at the time calling it a ” staging ground for the harassment and assault of their surrounding neighbors.”

Butler’s son Worden and his girlfriend Alexis Hartnett are both facing second-degree harassment charges stemming from multiple incidents between Nov. 23. The charges stem from multiple incidents between Nov. 23 and Nov. 24 on Corbett Drive, according to an Horry County police report.

At one point, the white couple erected and ignited a cross facing the home of Monica and Shaun Wiliams, who are Black.

Butler’s attorneys on April 5 appealed Seals’ ruling, arguing that she shouldn’t be punished for the actions of others.

“The cross burning witnessed by complaining witnesses was taken down immediately upon its reporting to law enforcement and therefore is no longer in existence … Similarly, much of the complained behavior described in pleadings at the hearing was brief or temporary in nature, such as blocking mailboxes with overgrown vegetation that’s since been removed, posting a sign warning trespassers of being shot, and even alleged threats and yelling conducted by the residents, Butler’s attorney Christopher D. Helms wrote to the court.

“The tenant residents have also since vacated the subject property .. thereby making existence of future nuisance speculation and conjecture.”

Horry County Solicitor Jimmy Richardson in January asked for a restraining order to force the couple out.

In his March 28 order granting the request, 15th Circuit Court Judge WIlliam H. Seals Jr. said the cross burning was a “profound act of hatred.”

Janet Butler, however, had nothing to do with the incident and shouldn’t be punished for it, Helms wrote in his filing.

“Because the complained of behavior was not attributed to the Respondent, a more balanced, and less-prejudicial, form of relief is warranted,” he argued.

At Tuesday’s virtual hearing, Judge Benjamin Culbertson took no action, saying he didn’t want to overrule Seals, putting Butler’s request back on the docket.

Monica Williams said in a statement the home’s closure sent a profound message to the community.

“The injunction has set the standard and the tone of the importance of responsible home ownership. It is not to be taken lightly and reversed considering the nature of the situation and the safety of the neighborhood,” she said. “This matter is serious and traumatic.”

The Williams’ have traveled across South Carolina the past year, speaking with civil rights groups and urging lawmakers to adopt a hate crimes law — the state is one of just two that doesn’t have on the books. Wyoming is the other.

The 2023-2024 regular session of the South Carolina General Assembly ended without any action on the matter.

A bill, known as the Clementa C. Pickney Act, would have enhanced penalties for violent crimes fueled by hate. It’s named after a state senator and one of the nine victims of the 2015 church shooting in Charleston.

They both appeared at a Conway city council meeting last week, praising leaders there for adopting a local hate crimes ordinance.

“We are all excited to be a part of this moment. A moment that offers a solution, a step toward closure and the possibility of healing for so many,” Monica Williams said. “Hate in any form must be confronted with strength and resolve, and today you had the opportunity to take a stand to ensure our laws reflect respect, dignity and protection for all.”

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