The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services has refused to grant a pardon to Billy Patrick Hutto Jr. He was convicted in a tragic DUI crash that resulted in the death of 6-year-old Emma Longstreet.
In 2013, Hutto received a ten-year prison sentence for driving under the influence and colliding with the car Emma was a passenger in on New Year’s Day. His trial uncovered that Hutto had previously been convicted of DUI in 2009.
Following the tragic loss of his daughter Emma, David Longstreet took a stand and actively campaigned for stricter DUI laws in South Carolina. His efforts resulted in the enactment of Emma’s Law in 2014.
“I had to do what no parent ever has to do or ever wants to do. I had to bury my 6-and-a-half-year-old daughter,” Longstreet said. “I heard him tell the judge that day that if he would’ve had an interlocking device in his car, he wouldn’t have been able to start his car.”
Emma’s Law mandates the installation of an ignition interlock device for individuals who have been convicted of DUI multiple times or have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15% or higher.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has requested the state Parole Board to reject Hutto’s release ahead of his parole hearing on Wednesday.
“Absolving Mr. Hutto’s conviction would undermine the seriousness of the offenses, fail to recognize the long-lasting costs to the Longstreet family, and relieve Mr. Hutto of the consequences his actions caused.”
As a father, I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child. That’s why I wrote to the SC Parole Board urging them to deny Billy Patrick Hutto Jr.’s pardon. His reckless DUI crash took 6-year-old Emma Longstreet’s life. Justice must prevail. #JusticeForEmma pic.twitter.com/5q9oK7QNOc
— Alan Wilson (@AGAlanWilson) January 28, 2025
