South Carolina teen charged with murder

A South Carolina teenager is facing homicide, obstruction of justice and weapons possession charges in connection with the death of a 22-year-old man. According to media reports, the 17-year-old Summerville resident has been denied bond and remains in custody at the Berkeley County Detention Center. The teen called 911 at approximately 12:30 p.m. on April 24 to report that a man had been shot in his apartment. Emergency operators initially classified the incident as a possible suicide.

When deputies with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene on Brown Court in Summerville, they found the teen’s father attempting to resuscitate a man who appeared to have been shot. The teen allegedly told deputies that the man had shot himself by accident while playing with a loaded revolver. The man was pronounced dead shortly after being transported by paramedics to a nearby hospital.

After performing an autopsy, a medical examiner from the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office determined that the man had died after being shot in the head at point-blank range and ruled the death a homicide. The teen was charged after allegedly admitting to deputies that he had pointed a loaded and cocked revolver at the man and then pulled the trigger. Deputies claim that the teen has also admitted to disassembling and cleaning the alleged murder weapon to remove trace evidence.

No matter the alleged crime, a defendant accused of a violent crime is allowed to work with legal counsel to mount a defense. The majority of criminal cases are resolved by plea agreements. Depending on the situation, a lawyer could work with the prosecution to potentially secure a lesser charge.