Gov. McMaster reinstates Latta councilman after domestic violence charge dropped

LATTA, S.C. (WBTW) — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order on Wednesday rescinding the suspension of a Latta Town Council member after his domestic violence charge was dropped.

The new order states that Steven Bradley Coward is reinstated as a town council member effective immediately.

McMaster on Aug. 2 issued an executive order suspending Coward after he was charged with second-degree domestic violence.

Coward was facing charges after the incident, which happened in September 2020, the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said.

The order read that Coward’s suspension “was effective immediately and until such time as he shall be formally acquitted or convicted or until a successor is elected and qualifies as provided by law, whichever event occurs first.”

The 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office notified the governor that the second-degree domestic violence charge was dropped, and he was required by law to rescind Cowards’ suspension.

A Latta official confirmed to News13 that Coward is running for Dillon County Council District 4 seat against TF Buzzy Finklea in the Democratic primary on June 11.

You can read the governor’s executive order on the suspension here.

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Taylor Ford is a digital journalist for News13. She joined the News13 team in January 2023. Taylor is a Florence native and covers the Pee Dee out of News13’s Florence Bureau. Read more of Taylor’s work here.

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