Oconee County Courts: A Deepening Crisis of Corruption and Judicial Misconduct

Oconee County, South Carolina, has become a breeding ground for judicial misconduct, where those in power manipulate the court system not for justice but for vengeance. My name is Jason Boyle, and I am a victim of this system—incarcerated by Judge Danny Singleton in a blatant abuse of authority. As I appeal this wrongful imprisonment, the misconduct has only escalated. Attorney Jim Logan, representing Singleton in my appeal, has joined this scheme to silence me through intimidation and unlawful procedures. This corruption is not an isolated case; it is a systematic abuse of power that has festered, unchecked, for too long.

McDuff and Singleton: Collusion in the Courtroom

During my emergency release hearing on July 17, 2024, held in the Tenth Circuit Court of South Carolina, attorney Richard Hunt McDuff—a man deeply involved in my fiancée’s probate case—was seen consulting with Judge Singleton and his attorney, Jim Logan. McDuff had no standing in my case, yet he brazenly coached Singleton and Logan from the sidelines, in the direct observation of Judge McIntosh, advising them on how to ensure my continued incarceration. McDuff’s involvement is troubling, given his role in conspiring with Singleton to have my fiancée sentenced to 180 days in jail for daring to criticize the judge and hold the judge accountable to the law. This was not only illegal but vindictive—a clear abuse of power.

McDuff’s participation in my case, despite having no legal grounds to do so, is a violation of court rules. His behavior, far from appropriate, exposes the incestuous relationships between lawyers and judges in Oconee County. These backroom dealings foster an environment where ex parte communications and unethical alliances are not just tolerated but encouraged. Singleton’s willingness to collaborate with McDuff, whose clear conflict of interest in my fiancée’s case should have disqualified him from involvement, is another glaring example of how deep the corruption runs in this small town.

Incarceration Without Due Process

On June 17, 2024, Judge Danny Singleton sentenced me to 50 days in jail without legitimate cause. After 30 days of unlawful confinement, I was released early on July 17, 2024, thanks to an emergency order from Judge McIntosh. Upon my release, no release papers were provided to me—a clear violation of legal procedure. Worse, no crime or case number was ever listed on the public record during my imprisonment, underscoring the sheer illegality of the entire process. The lack of a case number or publicly listed crime was the result of Probate Judge Danny Singleton acting so far out of jurisdiction that he had no means to create a case number. The County jail was just doing its part in covering for Singleton by not providing me release papers I could later use as evidence. This may have been the reason I was never served the release order that included a gag order and other restrictions.

Although a gag order was ordered, I was never officially served. The purpose of this order was transparent: it was designed to stifle my voice, prevent me from defending myself publicly, and stop me from gathering the support I needed to expose the corruption in Oconee County’s legal system. On July 22, Judge McIntosh’s clerk sent an email instructing Logan to draft a Rule to Show Cause—an order meant to hold me in contempt of court yet again. This is the very tactic that was used to jail me in the first place, and they were prepared to use it once more to silence me.

Ex Parte Violations and Inappropriate Evidence

The request for the Rule to Show Cause raises serious concerns, chief among them being the blatant violation of laws prohibiting ex parte communications. For Judge McIntosh to be aware of my supposed contempt without my knowledge means there must have been improper communication between him and Logan or Singleton. Ex parte communication—any discussion between a judge and one party without the other present—is strictly forbidden. Yet, in Oconee County, this type of judicial malpractice is standard operating procedure.

The so-called evidence of my contempt? A screenshot of a YouTube video, allegedly posted after the gag order was issued. However, my account information clearly shows this video was posted on June 19—before the gag order was issued. It is clear that the evidence used to accuse me of contempt was incorrect. On my YouTube account, the video clearly shows a posting date of June 19, a day I spent in jail without access to my YouTube account. It was not posted by me.

When I requested discovery regarding this allegation, I was met with vague and incomplete responses. The discovery revealed that Maggie Bonadee, Judge Singleton’s clerk, had taken a screenshot of the video. However, a second screenshot—one that was issued to Judge McIntosh by Singleton or Logan—was somehow introduced later. The discovery process did not clarify who took this second screenshot or how it ended up in Judge McIntosh’s office. This dishonest manipulation is just one example of how the Oconee County legal system routinely disregards the rule of law to protect its own.

Bonadee, who had already falsely testified against me in a previous contempt hearing—claiming I was “very loud”, despite video evidence to the contrary—had no business working with Singleton as an investigator. This behavior, which exceeds the boundaries of the probate court jurisdiction, violates the separation of powers. In Oconee County, however, it seems that judges and clerks act as law enforcement, prosecutors, and executioners all rolled into one.

Illegal Subpoena of Phone Call Recordings

The corruption doesn’t end there. Jim Logan deepened the conspiracy by subpoenaing recordings of phone calls I made during my incarceration. Over the 30 days I spent in jail, my fiancée and I paid more than $300 for phone calls, discussing legal strategies and exposing the depth of corruption in Oconee County. On September 3, 2024, Logan issued a subpoena to Jeremy Chapman, the deputy in charge of the detention center, seeking recordings of my phone calls from June 19.

This raises several critical questions. How did Logan and Singleton know precisely which calls to target? I made calls almost every day during my incarceration. Their ability to pinpoint a specific date suggests they had access to information they should not have had. When I contacted the officer in charge of the detention center, Jeremy Chapman, he denied that he had released any recordings and directed me to Captain Jimmy Dixon of Investigations. Dixon, who, according to Chapman, has access to these recordings for criminal investigations, is the same officer who, while off duty, attempted to intimidate my fiancée into withholding evidence from the Circuit Court. This conflict of interest, with Singleton and the Sheriff’s office unlawfully engaging in investigatory actions, underscores the corrupt relationship between the courts and law enforcement in Oconee County.

Moreover, Logan and Singleton’s attempt to introduce these phone recordings as new evidence violates South Carolina law. Appeals are limited to reviewing evidence presented at trial; new evidence cannot be introduced. The call they are attempting to use occurred two days after my trial and clearly has no relevance to the judicial decision being appealed. Singleton and Logan’s efforts to introduce this evidence are not just unethical—they are blatantly illegal.

Motions to Quash and for Sanctions: Seeking Justice in a Corrupt System

In response to these flagrant violations, I filed motions to quash the subpoena and to impose sanctions on both Singleton and Logan. Their response? A dismissive, boilerplate motion for summary judgment—essentially a request for the court to ignore my requests for justice. Their arrogance is staggering. They didn’t even bother to mount a legitimate defense because, in their minds, they are the law in Oconee County. They’ve become so entrenched in their own power that they believe they can operate with absolute impunity.

Singleton and Logan’s actions—illegal subpoenas, discovery during appeal, investigations lead by a judge, and ex parte communications—demonstrate a complete disregard for the judicial process. They are betting that the Circuit Court, like the rest of Oconee County’s legal system, will turn a blind eye to their misconduct. And why wouldn’t they believe that? For years, Oconee’s legal system has operated as if it’s above the law, accountable to no one.

Where Is the Outrage?

Oconee County is a case study in judicial corruption, where those entrusted with upholding the law are the very ones undermining it. My case is not an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a system that no longer serves the people it was designed to protect. The courts, which are supposed to be pillars of justice, have instead become tools of oppression in Oconee County.

The only way to fight back against this entrenched corruption is through public awareness and collective action. This is why I was placed on a gag order. I have appealed that gag order, and that is why I can write this article. If they would have had their way, I would be going to jail for writing this!! The people of Oconee County, and indeed all Americans, need to demand accountability from their legal institutions. America, are you listening? Do you care that courts meant to serve justice are being used as weapons by corrupt individuals?

As I await my next hearing on September 12, I urge the public to pay attention. The outcome of my case will not just determine my future—it will serve as a litmus test for the integrity of Oconee County’s courts. If corruption is allowed to continue unchecked, no one in Oconee County can expect to receive fair treatment in the courts.

The time for complacency is over. This is not just my fight—it’s all of ours. I hope to see you at my hearing on September 12. Your presence, your watchful eyes, can bring accountability to a corrupt system.