News Summary
Ken Loveless, a former member of the Lexington-Richland 5 school board, is expanding his defamation lawsuit against several board members, including current and former colleagues. The amended lawsuit includes allegations of misconduct and an illegal conspiracy to defame Loveless. The legal battle highlights ongoing tensions within the school board, a situation that continues to evolve following previous ethics-related charges against Loveless.
Lexington, South Carolina – Ken Loveless, a former member of the Lexington-Richland 5 school board, is expanding his defamation lawsuit against several current and former colleagues following a ruling by Judge Charles McCutchen. The lawsuit now includes current board member Kevin Scully, former board members Beth Hutchison, Ed White, former school board attorney Michael Montgomery, and White’s wife Bea White, all of whom Loveless alleges participated in an illegal conspiracy aimed at defaming him.
Originally, Loveless had filed a federal lawsuit against Hutchison, Montgomery, White, and former board member Michael Cates, claiming they conspired to damage his reputation and infringe upon his free speech rights. These initial claims arose from Loveless’s interactions with a firm that was tasked with constructing a new elementary school.
The amended lawsuit asserts that Scully engaged in misconduct by taking a controversial photograph of Loveless alongside three other board members at a Waffle House in 2021, allegedly violating South Carolina’s open meetings laws. Hutchison purportedly exacerbated the situation by sharing this photo online, leading to intensified public scrutiny of Loveless.
Loveless also claims that Scully, Hutchison, and White collaborated to issue a press release in 2020 that detailed ethics accusations against him, utilizing his official government email address in the process. Loveless’s attorney, Desa Ballard, indicated that evidence revealing a conspiracy emerged during their discovery process, substantiating Loveless’s claims.
In response, defense attorney Gene Matthews contended that Loveless’s claims surpass the statute of limitations, arguing that he conflated public political discourse with conspiratorial behavior. Ballard countered that actions constituting the alleged conspiracy persisted even after Loveless departed from the school board in 2022, hence justifying the expansion of the lawsuit.
Judge McCutchen acknowledged that Loveless met the necessary criteria for including the new defendants and indicated that any issues regarding the statute of limitations would be addressed as the case advances.
This legal controversy follows prior charges against Loveless for breaching the state’s Ethics Act, which stemmed from allegations made by Hutchison and White. Loveless faced fines exceeding $6,000 as a result. Additionally, a federal conspiracy lawsuit against Hutchison, Montgomery, and White was dismissed last year by Judge Mary Geiger Lewis due to a lack of sufficient evidence of harm.
Loveless’s original lawsuit against Scully, instigated in 2022, accused Scully of defamation through derogatory comments on Facebook. The ongoing litigation persists even after Loveless lost his bid for re-election in 2022, while Scully ascended to a separate position on the board.
The unfolding situation sheds light on the ongoing tensions and conflicts among members of the Lexington-Richland 5 school board, illustrating the complexities of interpersonal relationships and governance within the educational context.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Judge Allows Expansion of Loveless Defamation Lawsuit
South Carolina Prioritizes School Safety with SRO Initiative
Lexington School District One Appoints New Superintendent
Lexington School District Faces Overcapacity Challenges
Texas Schools Mandate Display of Ten Commandments
Former Teacher Files Lawsuit After Acquittal in Assault Case
Heath Branham Appointed Superintendent of York School District
Richland School District 1 Faces Declining Enrollment Crisis
Lawsuit Filed Against Richland One School District Over Assault
Data Security Incident Delays Bonus Payments in Lexington-Richland School District Five
Additional Resources
- The State: Lexington Lawsuit
- Wikipedia: Lawsuit
- Our Midland: FOIA Lawsuit
- Google Search: FOIA lawsuit
- First Alert 7: Ranchland Lawsuit
- Google Scholar: Lawsuit
- WIS TV: Civil Rights Lawsuit
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Civil Rights
- Michigan Capitol Confidential: Document Charges
- Google News: Midland lawsuit
Author: STAFF HERE LEXINGTON WRITER
The LEXINGTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERELexington.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Lexington, Fayette County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Woodland Art Fair, Crave Food and Music Festival, and Railbird Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like Commerce Lexington and Blue Grass Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in education, manufacturing, and technology that power the local economy such as University of Kentucky, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, and Lexmark. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBowlingGreen.com and HERELouisville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Kentucky's dynamic landscape.
