Charleston, South Carolina — A Charleston County school board member was detained Friday morning on a domestic assault charge, according to jail records.
Suzanne Michele Leber, the estranged wife of Republican state Sen. Matt Leber, was booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center just before 8:10 a.m. on a third-degree domestic assault complaint.
Leber, 55, is charged with beating her estranged husband earlier this month, according to an arrest document obtained by News 2.
According to the affidavit, Michele Leber summoned deputies to her Johns Island home on Nov. 3 in response to two previous incidents between her and her husband, one of which occurred that morning and the other a few days prior.
According to the records, Michelle Leber stated that she anticipated Matt Leber would file a report against her for injuring his arm, and she wanted to inform deputies that she did not cause the injuries.
Matt Leber provided deputies a video from November 1 of Michele “lunging at him while yelling and angry,” according to the affidavit. She allegedly scratched his arm while attempting to steal his phone and struck him many times.
Michele Leber apparently admitted slapping him, but denied scratching him.
Michele Leber defeated Daron Lee Calhoun II by 11 points in the 2024 election for a seat on the school board in West Ashley’s District 6.
“CCSD is unaware of the full scope of the situation involving Trustee Leber,” a district official stated. “Because this appears to be a personal matter and not related to district business, we are not able to comment further.”
According to records, Michele Leber was released from the detention center at 2:15 p.m. on a personal recognizance bond of $5,237.50.
Pam McKinney, chair of the CCSD Board of Trustees, said in a statement issued Friday morning that the board was aware of Leber’s arrest but “remains focused on its responsibilities to students, staff, and families.”
“This situation is a personal legal matter between private individuals, and it does not involve Charleston County School District operations, students, staff, district property or Board business,” according to McKinney. “As a result, the Board will not comment on it. We also respect the legal process and believe that individuals have the right to due process and privacy while it is ongoing.”
