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  Easler speaks out on investigation web posted December 11, 2006 Editor's note: This is just one of several articles that will appear on former Johnston Police Chief Easler and the investigation. The name of the convicted has been removed at this time due to leading to the identification of the victim who was a minor at the time. Chief Easler sat down with the Editor of EdgefieldDaily.com for a 4 1/2 hour exclusive interview into the case. Below is the first article from that interview. JOHNSTON – Former Johnston Police Chief Lelex “Butch” Easler broke his silence after the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office sent a letter to SLED and Johnston Mayor Willie Campbell stating they have closed their file on the fourteen-month investigation. One of the questions that still remains on Mr. Easler’s mind is why it took so long. “This should have been over last year,” Mr. Easler said on Friday. The investigation, which Easler said was initiated at his request, stemmed from a sexual harassment case that ended with a guilty plea by a 42 year-old Johnston man for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. The man also has to register as a sex offender as a result of the conviction. “I felt like they (the victim’s parents) were confused about the charge and felt like sexual harassment was more important,” Easler said. Sexual harassment is a civil matter not criminal. “After I read the incident report, I said, if this is true then the ABHAN (assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature) needed to be charged,” Easler stated. The victim’s parents wrote letters at the time to media outlets and SLED claiming Chief Easler, the Johnston Police Department, and the Sheriff’s Office were trying to cover up for the man due to him being a business owner. “Nothing was covered up, we got a conviction in the case,” Easler said. The man was not the owner of the business where the incidents tooks place, according to Easler. Mr. Easler said he spoke with the Deputy Solicitor in June of 2005 about the matter and said they both felt the best way to clear up any misunderstanding was to have SLED look into the case. SLED accepted the request on August 3, 2005. This led to Chief Easler being put on paid administrative leave on September 21, 2005 by former Mayor Dean Campbell. Mr. Easler said he has the letter stating he would be reinstated if no charges were filed. When Willie Campbell took over as mayor he fired Ealser in May while the investigation continued. Another thing that remains unknown is where one of the witnesses in the case disappeared to, “We still have a missing person in the case,” Easler said. The day the witness was set to testify he packed a bag and disappeared after receiving a phone call from someone telling him not to go to court. “I think there needs to be another investigation,” Mr. Ealser said, this time by the Attorney General’s Office. Now that the investigation appears to have ended Mr. Easler said he is looking forward to retirement and spending more time with his wife, Gayla. He also said he would like the Town of Johnston to retire him “in good standing” with the Police Department. When asked if there would be any legal action taken due to his dismissal while under investigation Mr. Ealser said he was waiting to see what the town does over the coming weeks. “There are some things I’d like to see happen,” Ealser said. On the file being closed Mr. Ealser said it was no surprise to him, “I knew they wouldn’t find anything. I didn’t do anything wrong.” Mayor Willie Campbell reportedly stands by his decision to fire Easler before the investigation ended saying the move was the best thing for the town and within his authority as mayor. The Johnston Town Council meeting is scheduled for tonight at 6:30pm. The public is invited to attend. For
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