COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina state lawmaker accused of beating his wife bloody has resigned rather than face expulsion from the statehouse after a grand jury indicted him on a felony aggravated domestic violence charge that could put him in prison for up to 20 years.
House Speaker Jay Lucas read Rep. Chris Corley’s short resignation letter to his colleagues Tuesday.
Corley may be best known as a staunch defender of the Confederate flag. He was easily re-elected with no opposition to a second term representing parts of Aiken County.
Several legislators said they couldn’t stay silent after hearing a 911 call made from Corley’s home the day after Christmas. Two children can be heard screaming for their daddy to stop.
Corley’s wife told deputies he stopped hitting her only after noticing she was bleeding and hearing his children’s screams.
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