Palm Beach, FL (Aug. 12, 2016) – Gerald Malloy, a private attorney and state senator from South Carolina, was honored today with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' (NACDL) Champion of State Criminal Justice Reform Award at NACDL's 15th annual State Criminal Justice Network conference in Palm Beach, FL. The award recognizes an individual or group whose exceptional efforts have led toward progressive reform of a state criminal justice system, and Malloy is the first legislator to receive this award.
NACDL's Director of State Legislative Affairs and Special Projects, Angelyn Frazer-Giles said: "Senator Malloy's constant efforts to reform South Carolina's criminal justice system and create a safer community for his constituents demonstrate his passion and dedication towards creating a fair and just system for all people. On behalf of NACDL's State Criminal Justice Network, I am proud to present this award to Senator Gerald Malloy."
Serving in the state legislature since 2002, Senator Malloy represents District 29, which encompasses Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee and Marlboro Counties. Senator Malloy helped establish South Carolina's state-wide public defense system in 2006-07, and the same year was appointed Chairman of the South Carolina Criminal Justice System Task Force. In 2008 he chaired a committee made up of persons from the judiciary, legislature, and criminal justice field that sought alternatives to incarceration. This committee and their work led to the passage of the Omnibus Crime Reduction and Sentencing Reform Act in 2010. This act developed alternative treatment and rehabilitation programs which helped reduce prison populations and recidivism rates while saving tax payer money and creating a safer community.
Malloy began his career in 1988 after graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law. He established the Malloy Law Firm in 2000, where he has a civil and criminal trial practice. He received the South Carolina Library Association's Friend of the Libraries Award in 2004 for his work in founding and supporting rural libraries, and in 2007 received the South Carolina Public Defender Association Legislator of the Year Award. He was also the recipient of the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense Distinguished Service Award in 2008, which has since been renamed the Gerald Malloy Distinguished Service Award.
Senator Malloy received his B.S. degree in Finance and Marketing from the University of South Carolina in 1984.
A photo of Senator Malloy is available here. Photo courtesy of Senator Malloy.
Contacts
Ivan J. Dominguez, NACDL Director of Public Affairs & Communications, (202) 465-7662 or idominguez@nacdl.org for more information.
The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is the preeminent organization advancing the mission of the criminal defense bar to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime or wrongdoing. A professional bar association founded in 1958, NACDL's many thousands of direct members in 28 countries – and 90 state, provincial and local affiliate organizations totaling up to 40,000 attorneys – include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, military defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to preserving fairness and promoting a rational and humane criminal legal system.