Jack Be Nimble trial to begin Monday [The Messenger, Hartsville, S.C.]

May 09--HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- A jury trial is scheduled to begin Monday in a Darlington County courtroom to determine the fate of a Hartsville business owner whom the state alleges that in 2011 duped law enforcement into believing she was assaulted and her store set on fire so that she could collect the insurance money.

Claudette Hulsey, 47, former owner of Jack Be Nimble Children's Clothing Boutique on East Carolina Avenue, is charged with burning personal property to defraud insurer, presenting false claim for insurance payment-value $10,000 or more, making false insurance claim to obtain benefits for fire or explosion loss, third-degree arson and filing a false police report of a felony.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Attorney General Heather Weiss and Assistant Attorney General Josh Underwood. Hulsey will be defended by attorney James Cox. Cox also serves as the attorney for Darlington County.

Presiding over the case will be Judge Thomas W. Cooper, Jr., a retired circuit judge from Manning.

Neither the S.C. Attorney General's Office nor defense attorney Cox chose to comment on the case for this article.

"It is believed that the defendant was motivated by financial needs and personal needs and took her needs above those of the community of Hartsville," Weiss following Hulsey's arrest on Sept. 22, 2011. "She took away from the people of Hartsville, as well as putting the people of the other stores in danger."

It was almost two and a half years ago that firefighters doused the flames coming from Jack Be Nimble and pulled the owner from the burning building following what was alleged at the time to be an assault and possible robbery. The incident sent shockwaves through the Hartsville community, forcing some local businesses and churches to lock their doors during business hours.

"It was heartbreaking along with frightening," said one business owner, recalling her feelings following Hulsey's arrest. "For weeks, every night, the police would come by and check on all of us." The business owner said she, like many other business owners, took measures to protect herself after the incident. While many bought mace or handguns, she installed a security system in her restaurant for protection.

A customer in the restaurant said that ever since the alleged attack, people in the community were on edge, waiting for some resolution.

"Back then, safety was on the minds of people in Hartsville here," said the customer. "They didn't go out in public, they were scared to go downtown -- they were just afraid for their lives."

According to a report issued by the Hartsville Police Dept. following the occurrences on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011, authorities received a 911 call from the store at 140 E. Carolina Ave. shortly after 7 p.m. According to SLED arrest warrants, Hulsey called 911 saying, "I've been robbed" and "fire."

When police arrived, they saw smoke coming from the front of the store. They gained entry to the store by breaking the glass front door. Once inside, they discovered the fire and the store owner partially clothed, unconscious and lying on the floor.

Officers pulled Hulsey to safety, the reported stated. Firefighters then worked to keep the fire from spreading.

According to Hartsville Fire Dept. Chief Jeff Burr, the building's sprinkler system suppressed the fire.

Hulsey was taken to Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center for examination and later released.

On Thursday morning, Hartsville City Police officials said that they believed two black male suspects entered the store shortly after dark, robbed and assaulted the store owner, and then set fire to the building. The Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce announced it was offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest.

That same morning, Hartsville Police Chief Tim Kemp announced his retirement after nine years as chief. Kemp, who had been with the department for 28 years, never spoke with the media or offered an explanation on his decision to retire. Chief Deputy Jerry Thompson of the Darlington County Sheriff's Office took over as interim chief of the department.

On Sunday Jan. 31, four days following the incident, an estimated 2,500 people turned out in downtown Hartsville to form a human prayer chain to pray for the city, its businesses and the victim and her family. Sharman Poplava, then-president of the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce, announced the reward offered for information leading to the arrest of the assailants was more than $24,000 with donations coming from Hartsville businesses and the victim's family.

The search for suspects, who were described only as two black men, one with a scar on his left cheek, captured the attention of Hartsville and the Pee Dee. Sketches of the alleged suspects were circulated through the community.

In an e-mail to The Hartsville Messenger on Feb. 9, Hartsville police stated they were following 40 leads in the case. In that same email, police stated a criminal sexual assault kit was completed on Hulsey and submitted to SLED for analysis. "The initial report does show CSC as one of the crimes committed in the incident."

There was no indication of sexual assault on the initial incident report and Hulsey's named was reported by television, radio and newspaper media outlets across the state.

The case was eventually turned over to SLED.

The investigation continued through the summer. On Sept. 22, State Law Enforcement Division agents arrested Hulsey at her home.

According to the SLED arrest warrants, Husley "did commit the offense of burning personal property to defraud her insurer (Traveler's Insurance Co.) by willfully and intentionally setting fire to her business" for more than $10,000. The warrants said her arrest was based upon "police investigation into multiple conflicting statements by the defendant, lack of forensic evidence, a financial investigation of the defendant and medical reports not consistent with the statements of the defendant."

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