Theo Mitchell

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Theo W. Mitchell (born July 2, 1938) is a lawyer from South Carolina who served in the South Carolina General Assembly from 1975 to 1995.

Early life

Mitchell was born in Greenville to Clyde D. Mitchell and Dothenia E. Mitchell. He grew up in a broken household and his father migrated to Newark, New Jersey, to escape segregationist traditions of the South. Mitchell majored in biology at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, and aspired to be a doctor upon graduation from high school. Mitchell completed his undergraduate degree in Washington, D.C., but he attended Howard University law school while there. Mitchell returned to South Carolina in 1969 to attend his grandmother's funeral and discovered a new environment that offered economic opportunities for blacks.

Personal life

Mitchell and Greta Knight of Pueblo, Colorado, had three children together, and they had three girls. They are both Life Members of the NAACP and active members of Allen Temple A.M.E. Church in Greenville. Psi Phi fraternity's member.

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Political career

Mitchell, who stayed in South Carolina, practiced law for the Legal Services Agency in Greenville, Inc. In 1972, he ran for a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives but lost the election. Mitchell was elected for District 23 two years ago in 1974. Mitchell was arrested on suspicion of unlawful food stamp ownership when a client of his reportedly gave him food stamps in exchange for legal assistance. A mistrial was declared and the charges were dismissed after the jury could not reach a decision. Mitchell won the election for District 7 in 1984 and served as a chairman of the Senate Corrections and Penology Committee during his tenure.

Mitchell declared his candidacy in January for the 1990 South Carolina gubernatorial election, mimicing black politicians like Jesse Jackson and Douglas Wilder. Mitchell defeated state Senator Ernie Passayaigue in the Democratic primary, but the black community aided him in large part. Mitchell then lost the general election to Governor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr., due to his inability to secure funds from the white state Democratic Party establishment.

Mitchell was sentenced to 90 days in prison on seven counts of breaking federal tax laws in 1994. Mitchell was cleared by the South Carolina Senate in 1995, who voted 38 to 7. It was the first time a black member of the state Senate had been barred from the office. In reaction to his dismissal, the state Senate also passed a bill that if a member of the legislature resigns or is suspended, the legislature will pay any compensation received. He lost the special election to fill his empty seat upon completion of his 90-day term.

Subsequent career

Mitchell founded Theo W. Mitchell and Associates in Greenville, a civil rights, human rights, and criminal law firm. However, in 2005, the state Supreme Court issued a public reprimand to Mitchell due to the use of the word Associates in his law firm's name because there were no other licensed attorneys in his law firm in South Carolina. He undertook numerous programs for the homeless and insecure, as well as senior citizens of the county. Mitchell is also on the board of directors of the LaRouche Movement's Schiller Institute.

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