Part 9 of the “Court of Ruin: The William Sewell Files” series

By Michael Phillips

“When Donnie got on the case, everything changed. Before that, we were co-parenting. After that, it was war.” — William H. Sewell

Introduction: Beyond the Bench, a Network of Power

Behind every custody dispute in family court lies a deeper infrastructure—an unofficial network of attorneys, former sheriffs, and judges whose allegiances and associations often determine the outcome before a hearing even begins. In Part 9 of the “Court of Ruin” series, we expose how a group of interconnected players in South Carolina family court not only exploited a father’s rights, but built a fortress of silence around it.

This installment follows the themes introduced in “The Players” but goes deeper into the culture of complicity—how silence, loyalty, and fear keep the machine running.

Donnie Gamache: Gatekeeper of the System

Donnie Gamache is not just another lawyer. As a former Dorchester County sheriff, now turned powerful family law attorney, Gamache commands local influence with political connections and decades of experience. William describes him as the “ringleader of the mafia” that has co-opted South Carolina’s Lowcountry family court system.

• Allegedly sent a process server into William’s home while he was away—potentially unlawful entry
• Called the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office just before William’s DSS interview, influencing the outcome
• Maintains close relationships with judges and former law enforcement, including Judge Mandy Kimmons

Gamache’s law practice is reportedly aggressive, well-funded, and designed to intimidate opposing parties into submission—especially when those parties are poor, self-represented, or without political capital.

The Kimmons Connection

Judge Mandy Kimmons, formerly a legislator and private attorney, is now a family court judge. According to William and multiple local accounts, her longstanding ties to Donnie Gamache raise serious concerns:

• Allegedly ruled in favor of Gamache’s clients in multiple cases, including jailing a woman for nonpayment of attorney’s fees
• Is the assigned judge on multiple matters involving Gamache, including William’s
• Allegedly part of the same political and social networks that reinforce loyalty over justice

A motion to recuse her was considered, but it may never be considered impartially in a system where judges rarely recuse themselves from familiar colleagues.

Nobody Will Help

When William raised concerns about misconduct, judicial bias, and coercive legal tactics, the responses were chillingly uniform: nothing.

• The Attorney General’s Office did not intervene
• The clerk of court refused to explain how William’s rights were being denied
• Three separate attorneys—Kate Schmutz, Jonathan Lewis, and William Clifford—took money and then failed to act
• A local reporter, Emily Johnson, appeared interested but stopped responding after asking William for documents

Each time William found a possible ally, someone connected to Gamache or afraid of local retaliation pulled the plug.

“It’s like there’s a quiet rule: If you’re not in the circle, you don’t matter. Your evidence doesn’t matter. Your kid doesn’t matter.” — William H. Sewell

The Affidavits No One Acknowledged

William obtained notarized affidavits from witnesses who saw or heard:

• Leslie allegedly giving alcohol to their daughter Dema
• Alleged manipulation and coaching of the child
• Multiple dog bites and a broken leg incident not investigated by DSS

Despite submitting these affidavits, no court ruling has directly addressed them. The DSS investigator reportedly told William she believed his account and referred him to the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, but the case went no further.

Legal Abuse as a Strategy

In William’s words, the court was never about facts or justice—it was about pressure:

• He was threatened with jail over a $25,000 Guardian ad Litem fee he couldn’t afford
• His child was removed from his custody following a hearing he claims he was never properly served for
• Every time he brought up false statements or perjury, the issue was ignored

Obstruction, Intimidation, and the Quiet Enablers

William’s case includes:

• Witness intimidation — his ex allegedly contacted people willing to testify on his behalf and warned them off
• Breaking and entering — the process server incident remains unaddressed
• Silencing through procedural delay — hearings postponed or controlled without explanation

Even the Guardian ad Litem, Jason Wheeler, admitted privately over the phone that his investigation was complete—yet court actions continued as if it was still ongoing.

DSS and the “Daily Work with Donnie”: A Closed Door Before It Opens

When William tried to report legitimate concerns about his daughter’s safety—dog bites, injuries, and alleged underage alcohol exposure—he turned to the Department of Social Services (DSS). He documented incidents with photographs and attempted to escalate the matter to Kaneisha Gilson, the head of investigations for the Dorchester County DSS office.

But just before one of his key interviews with law enforcement, William learned that Donnie Gamache had already called ahead. A Sergeant Baker allegedly received that call—and the tone of the interaction shifted immediately. William believes this call was designed to preemptively discredit him or control the narrative.

Text messages between William and Kaneisha reveal mounting frustration and confusion. DSS acknowledged receiving William’s information and stated that Sgt. Baker was investigating. But soon after, the story changed. A sheriff’s deputy told William DSS had flagged him for refusing to provide his ex-wife’s phone number—something he had already explained wasn’t available at the time.

In a later message, William expressed shock that Donnie Gamache appeared to know confidential information from the DSS file. Gamache had accused William in court of making ‘unwarranted reports’ to gain custody. DSS staff claimed anonymity laws were still in place, but couldn’t explain how the information got back to Gamache.

One DSS staffer told William bluntly: “We know Donnie. We work with him daily.”

By the end of it, William had received no protection, no report in his favor, and no investigation results he could access. His concerns were effectively nullified—not through due process, but through proximity and power.

Conclusion: The System Is Not Broken. It’s Operating as Intended

The family court apparatus surrounding William Sewell doesn’t need fixing. It needs exposure. This is not a story of one bad judge or lawyer. It’s a system built to protect insiders and punish outsiders—particularly fathers like William who dare to challenge it.

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All claims in this article are based on the personal experiences and allegations made by William H. Sewell. This article includes opinions and reporting based on interviews, court documents, and publicly available information. Donnie Gamache and any other named parties are presumed innocent of any wrongdoing unless proven otherwise.