‘Epidemic’ of Hidden Cams? SC Staff’ Comp Lawyer Sued After Arrest for Movies

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‘Epidemic’ of Hidden Cams? SC Staff’ Comp Lawyer Sued After Arrest for Movies

Two months after his regulation license was suspended and he was charged with illicitly filming renters at his seaside property, a South Carolina staff’ compensation lawyer now faces a civil lawsuit by one of many alleged victims.

The lawyer for the plaintiff within the case mentioned the go well with displays the rising issues concerning the “epidemic” of hidden cameras in rented trip properties.

The plaintiff, a South Carolina girl, filed go well with Jan. 7, charging Aiken, South Carolina, lawyer William Daniel Mayes and his spouse with negligence and reckless or wanton conduct. Within the felony cost paperwork from October, Daniel Mayes had admitted to organising hidden cameras to file folks within the seaside home, and confirmed he possessed a Dropbox account the place regulation enforcement officers discovered tons of of movies, the lawsuit grievance alleges.

The movies included pictures of individuals, together with minors, within the nude, with a few of the scenes set to music, the grievance contends.

Daniel Mayes, who dealt with staff’ comp and incapacity circumstances at an Aiken regulation agency, has not but responded to the lawsuit. He couldn’t be reached for remark and his lawyer declined to speak, based on the American Bar Affiliation Journal, which revealed an article on the go well with this week.

The South Carolina Bar suspended Mayes in November and his identify was faraway from his regulation agency’s web site, the ABA Journal reported. That got here shortly after he was charged with 5 felony counts, together with the sexual exploitation of minors, the South Carolina Legal professional Common introduced in late October.

Investigators had acquired a tip from the Nationwide Middle for Lacking and Exploited Kids, which led them to Mayes, Legal professional Common Alan Wilson mentioned in a press release. The lawsuit alleges that regulation officers obtained search warrants and found a Dropbox account labeled “Folly HC,” apparently referring to a Folly Seaside trip property.

A few of the footage confirmed the plaintiff within the go well with within the bed room, altering garments. One other video confirmed the defendant watching these movies, the go well with alleges.

“Plaintiff stays involved nude photographs and movies of her have been shared with third events,” the grievance reads.

Mayes’ spouse was named within the go well with however she doesn’t face felony expenses.

Deborah Barbier, the Columbia lawyer representing the plaintiff informed the State newspaper that hidden cameras in rental items have develop into an epidemic, the ABA Journal reported. CNN and different information retailers have reported that police have seized 1000’s of movies from cameras arrange at rental properties across the nation. AirBnB, a agency that manages trip leases, not named within the lawsuit, mentioned early in 2024 that it has insurance policies forbidding hidden cameras in personal areas.

The agency’s web site mentioned AirBnB supplies property homeowners with $1 million in legal responsibility protection for bodily harm to a visitor or injury to non-public property. The positioning doesn’t point out privateness or digital camera points.

Related: Insurers Settle With Hotel in Case of Woman Videotaped in the Shower

Subjects
Lawsuits
Workers’ Compensation
South Carolina

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