South Carolina 2005

Sentenced to death in Richland County, South Carolina

By: A judge

Date of crime: 7/10/2002 and 8/8/2002

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Allen confessed to killing Dale Hall, 45 and Jedediah Harr, 22. Allen is serving a life sentence for two killings that took place while he was on the run from authorities during the same killing spree – convenience store worker Richard Hawks, 53, and customer Robert Roush, 29. Before killing Hawks and Roush, Allen shot and injured a homeless man in a park. Shortly thereafter, he shot Hall in the leg, stomach and head with a 12-gauge shotgun and burned her body. Harr was shot in his car outside a restaurant during a confrontation. Allen also admitted to setting fires to a home and two cars. Defense attorneys argued that the crimes were committed because Allen was suffering from schizophrenia and the defense emphasized Allen’s poor upbringing. Prosecutors argued that Allen was malingering.

Prosecutor(s): John Meadors, Barney Giese Defense Lawyer(s): Fielding Pringle, Robert Lominack

Sources: Columbia State 3/13/05, 3/15/05, 3/18/05, 3/19/05; Myrtle Beach Sun News 3/19/05

Sentenced to death in Horry County, South Carolina

By: A jury

Date of crime: 12/29/2002

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Cottrell shot to death Joe McGarry, a 28-year-old police officer, during a chance meeting. When McGarry ran into Cottrell outside a donut shop, he checked with Cottrell to see if he had taken care of tickets regarding drug offenses that McGarry had given Cottrell a few weeks prior. Without warning, Cottrell pulled out a gun and began firing; he shot McGarry in the face. Cottrell then shot at another police officer. During the penalty phase, the prosecution introduced evidence of two other murders Cottrell was charged with, but had not yet been tried for. Before closing statements Cottrell admitted to shooting McGarry and asked the jury to spare his life for his 3-year-old daughter’s sake.

Prosecutor(s): Greg Hembree

Defense lawyer(s): William Nettles

Sources: Myrtle Beach Sun News 4/5/2005 (2005 WLNR 5277594), 4/6/2005 (2005 WLNR 5341291), 4/7/2005 (2005 WLNR 5474703), 4/8/2005 (2005 WLNR 5771136); AP Alert – South Carolina 4/7/2005 (4/7/05 APALERTSC 04:01:59).

Sentenced to death in Spartanburg County, South Carolina

By: A Jury

Date of crime: 2/2003

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Evins raped and killed Rhonda Ward Goodwin, 32, a convenience store clerk, and dumped her naked body in an apple orchard. The prosecution argued Evins’s testimony on the stand that he killed Goodwin in self defense was inconsistent with what he had previously told authorities. The prosecution also highlighted Evins’s criminal history, which included other sexual misconduct. Goodwin had been stabbed 12 times. Evins used the money he stole from Goodwin to buy drugs. Evins was also charged in the death of Damaris Huff, whose body was found in a park after having been strangled.

Prosecutor(s): Trey Gowdy, Barry Barnette, John Anthony Defense Lawyer(s):

Sources: AP Alert – South Carolina 11/18/04, 11/15/04; Spartanburg County Government Web site, 2004 Press Releases: http://www.co.spartanburg.sc.us/govt/depts/sol/fredrick_evins2.htm

Sentenced to death in Sumter County, South Carolina

By: A jury

Date of crime: 2/26/1996

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Stone killed police Sgt. Charlie Kubala during a home burglary. Kubala had responded to a 911 call from the home of Ruth Griffith. Griffith and her next door neifghbor, Landrow Taylor, were inside the home and heard three or four gunshots. When another police officer arrived, he found Kubala had been shot in the right ear and neck. Stone was found four hours after the incident hiding under two fallen trees. There was a .22 caliber pistol under him. Stone confessed to having killed Kubala, but said he had been intoxicated at the time of the shooting. Stone said when he heard someone yell at him, he turned and the gun went off, which in turn caused him to run.

Prosecutor(s): C. Kelly Jackson Defense Lawyer(s): Cam Littlejohn

Sources: State v. Stone, 567 S.E.2d 244 (S.C. 2002); Columbia State 2/28/2005; Augusta Chronicle (S.C.) 3/1/2005

Sentenced to death in Greenville County, South Carolina

By: A jury

Date of crime: 9/3/2003

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Williams killed his ex-girlfriend, Maranda Williams, 24, not related, after a hostage standoff at a supermarket where she worked. After two hours of being held in the grocery store, Maranda Williams was shot three times in the back with a sawed off shotgun when she tried to escape. A notebook was found in Charles Williams’s residence, and inside the notebook was Maranda Williams’s work schedule, a layout of the store where the killing took place, and a checklist for the murder. Witnesses testified that Williams was stalking the victim a few months before the slaying. The prosecution relied primarily on a videotape of Williams at the store with a gun, taped 911 converations, and testimony from relatives and friends regarding Maranda Williams. The defense highlighted Williams’s mental illnesses, social problems, and troubled past.

Prosecutor(s): Bob Ariail, Betty Strom Defense Lawyer(s): John Mauldin, Bill Nettles

Sources: Greenville News 2/13/05, 2/16/05, 2/18/05, 2/19/05, 2/20/05