Man charged after shooting stepson

On Jan. 14, a South Carolina man was facing attempted murder and other charges after he allegedly attempted to shoot and kill his 26-year-old stepson. Authorities said that the shooting occurred at a home on Walcott Drive in Lyman.

According to an arrest warrant, the 66-year-old man shot the stepson in the chest with a .38-caliber revolver pistol. He allegedly stated that, although he hit the stepson in the shoulder and not the heart, he could have killed him if he wanted to. The stepson was taken to a hospital for treatment. The man was taken into custody and was charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime in addition to the attempted murder charge. He was also ticketed for simple possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The man was taken to Spartanburg County Detention Center where he was being held on a $23,000 bond. A judge ordered that, when the man is released, he be placed on GPS monitoring. The man was also ordered not to have any contact with the stepson or have access to firearms.

Convictions for charges associated with violent crimes carry heavy consequences that can include lengthy prison sentences and probation. Further, a criminal record may prevent the person from being able to return to work or seek loans to further his or her education. A criminal defense attorney may fight the charges depending on the evidence the prosecution has against the defendant. In some cases, the attorney may claim that the action was taken in self-defense. Otherwise, the attorney may seek to have the charges dismissed if the evidence does not support the allegations or there were problems with the investigation.

Source: WSPA, “Lyman man charged with attempted murder in stepson’s shooting”, Jan. 15, 2018