BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) – A Berkeley County man has received a $40,000 payout from the State Insurance Reserve Fund after he filed a lawsuit in connection to his arrest that happened on a television show.
The suit states Kirk Gaskins was arrested at his home during a broadcast of the show formerly known as “Live PD” in March 2020 with the announcer saying police were serving a “family violence warrant.” Documents show the issue, though, was that there was no warrant for family violence or any other violent offense.
In the lawsuit, Gaskins states Berkeley County deputies arrested him in his home, but never told him why. The next day, the suit states Gaskins appeared for a bond hearing, but the judge didn’t give him a bond because there were no charges and ordered him released.
The lawsuit, however, states Gaskins wasn’t released because the Berkeley County Detention Center found a warrant from Charleston County for unpaid child support. The suit says the only warrant was from 2019 for receiving money and then not doing the promised work, but he was never told about the warrant.
The suit says Gaskins never committed any crime involving violence, and the police surrounding his home with guns drawn was only to portray him as a dangerous criminal.
Gaskins received a $40,000 payment from the state’s Insurance Reserve Fund.
Berkeley County and the sheriff’s office declined to provide a comment at this time.
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