Homicide inside the home

'06 slayings spotlight S.C. domestic violence

'06 slayings spotlight S.C. domestic violence

With the first anniversary of his family's slaying approaching, Christan Rainey plans to spend some quiet time alone in his Baton Rouge, La., apartment.

On Sept. 30, 2006, his immediate family was gunned down in a North Charleston mobile home. In a sweeping act of violence, Rainey lost his mother, Detra Rainey, and four siblings.

Michael Anthony Simmons, Detra Rainey's husband of one year, awaits trial, charged with five counts of murder.

An overwhelming majority of women slain by men in South Carolina know their killers, according to the latest report from the Violence Policy Center. The

Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group analyzed 2005 homicide figures and found that all but five of the 43 women slain in South Carolina knew their killers. Thirty were wives, ex-wives or girlfriends of the assailants.

Nationally, black women were killed at a rate nearly three times higher than white women in 2005, according to the study. In South Carolina, 22 of the women killed by men were black, and 21 were white.

Nearly a year has passed since Christan Rainey received the terrible news, and he still struggles to make sense of it.

"You can look at everything from a religious aspect — that everything happened for a reason — but you're still forced to live with it," Rainey said.

"I wish I could have stayed home. Things would have been different," he said. "Michael never tried to disrespect my mom around me. I would not tolerate that."

The state moved down to No. 7 in the U.S. for its rate of women killed by men in 2005, with 1.97 deaths per 100,000 people. South Carolina ranked sixth for three years after it held the ignominious first place spot in 2001.

Vicki Bourus, executive director of the S.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, said, "We're praying this downward trend continues. It's certainly hopeful."

Bourus attributes the drop to a series of policy and legislative changes. A 2005 criminal domestic violence bill increased fines and sentences. Second offenses moved from the magistrate level to general sessions court, and third offenses became felonies with a minimum one-year sentence, up from a misdemeanor charge and minimum 90-day sentence.

Domestic violence courts are opening up across the state. These courts, which are led by judges more educated in domestic violence issues, lead to fewer dropped cases, better referrals to shelters and treatment for the batterers, Bourus said.

Also, state Attorney General Henry McMaster worked with the General Assembly to fund criminal domestic violence prosecutors. As this force takes shape in 2007, a team of established pro bono attorneys are helping prosecute cases at the first-offense magistrate level.

"Ranking No. 7 in the nation in something so hideous, as domestic violence is a terrible shame for South Carolina," said Mark Plowden, spokesman for McMaster.

Criminal domestic violence is the worst criminal problem facing the state, Plowden said. "Moving down a spot from No. 6 is encouraging, but more a glaring reminder that much, much more work must be done in this state," he said.

McMaster is expected to release 2006 figures on male and female victims killed by domestic violence at the 10th annual Silent Witness ceremony Oct. 1 in Columbia. Those numbers will be used by the Violence Policy Center for its next study.

Rainey, who is majoring in computer science at Southern University, works 40 hours a week at a Wal-Mart tire and lube service department to pay for his education.

"I wanted to come home, but I'm in school, and it's hard to come home," he said by phone from Baton Rouge.

When people gather at the steps of the Statehouse in Columbia to honor those killed by domestic violence last year, Rainey will hold a lone vigil in Louisiana.

With his compass gone, he doesn't know where home is. "I don't know where I'm happier at. I love being in Charleston ... but it's hard being there because you know something's missing."

Reach Jill Coley at 937-5719 or jcoley@postandcourier.com.