MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – State officials filed a memo this week that said they believe a defense attorney violated a gag order in the Heather Elvis case, in which an Horry County couple are accused of murder.
The gag order was filed about a year ago in the case involving Sidney and Tammy Moorer, who are accused of kidnapping and killing 20-year-old Elvis, who has not been seen since vanishing about a week before Christmas 2013.
Recently, Greg McCollum, Tammy Moorer’s attorney, requested that the gag order be lifted.
In response to that request, state officials filed a memorandum Tuesday to the judge to argue against the idea.
In that 18-page memo by attorney Henrietta Golding, the state said it believes McCollum violated the existing gag order at least 3 times, according to 15th Judicial Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson.
If prosecutors decided to bring the matter before a judge in a formal manner, the defense attorney could be fined or found in contempt of court — if found in violation of the order by a judge.
However, Richardson said that the prosecution has no intention of doing so, with Richardson pointing out that in his last 18 years he’s never brought any previous gag order violations before a judge.
News13 tried to contact McCollum for comment, but was unable to reach him Wednesday evening.