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Many individuals were sentenced at the Barnwell County Courthouse during general sessions court for charges like murder, disseminating harmful material to a minor, and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Here is a recap of the cases seen between Monday, January 23, and Thursday, January 26.
Shooter denied bond
Brandon Jamar Davis, 34, of Salley, was denied bond for charges in the June 2022 shooting of Trevor Sumpter, 25, of Barnwell.
In the days following the shooting and Sumpter’s death, Davis turned himself in to the Barnwell Police Department (BPD) and was charged with murder, unlawful carrying of a pistol, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
“We are asking you to consider a bond not only on the circumstances, but on the fact that Mr. Davis has been incarcerated since shortly after this happened,” said Chief Public Defender Wallis April Alves to presiding Judge Courtney Clyburn Pope.
At the bond hearing held at the Barnwell County Courthouse on January 25, the factual basis of the case was presented by the prosecution and defense.
Around 3 a.m. the night of the shooting, an argument broke out on Bomba Street in Barnwell after a party. The argument originated between others at the party but both Davis and Sumpter became involved.
According to witness statements presented by the prosecution, a handful of witnesses saw Davis shoot Sumpter multiple times after the two men began arguing.
Some witness statements detail Sumpter leaning over to set his drink down and as he rose Davis began firing. Other witness statements detail Sumpter placing a hand on his gun before being shot by Davis in self defense.
Second Circuit Deputy Solicitor David Miller and Chief Public Defender Alves detailed the many witness statements and the other individuals involved such as Garry Floyd, who was charged with obstruction of justice for leaving the scene of the crime with Sumpter’s gun after he was shot.
In 2013, Davis was sentenced to five years after being charged in the July 14, 2012 death of Ronnie Rashawn Thomas, 20, who was shot several times on Bellinger Street in Blackville. Thomas was shot after an argument, similarly to Sumpter, according to various news reports.
This conviction nine years prior means Davis was illegally carrying a gun at the time he shot Sumpter, according to the prosecution. However, in a case of self defense, “just because you have an illegal gun does not negate self defense,” said Alves at the bond hearing.
Miller also stated the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed Sumpter had a concealed weapons permit and a receipt for the gun he purchased legally.
“Mr. Davis should not have had a gun in the first place because when Mr. Davis has a gun and gets into an argument, people get killed. We feel he is an extreme danger to the community,” said Miller.
Ultimately, Judge Pope denied Davis' bond the following day.
Baker must register as sex offender after pleading guilty
James Dean Baker Jr., 38, of Martin, pleaded guilty on Jan. 23 to disseminating harmful material to a minor.
In November 2018, the Barnwell County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) was requested to help a sheriff's office in Arizona investigate Baker for sending a nude photo to a 12-year-old female victim online, said assistant solicitor Leigh Staggs. She said Baker has prior arrests, including indecent exposure, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, shoplifting, and driving under the influence.
"Mr. Baker has had transgressions in the past, but none of a violent nature," said defense attorney Tim Moore, adding how alcohol has been an issue for his client.
Moore asked the judge for leniency in the form of a probationary sentence so Baker could keep working.
Judge Pope also heard from the victim's mother, Tonia Frickling, who joined the court proceedings virtually.
“My daughter asked the judge if she (Judge Pope) could do less than 10 years because she feels it would be hard on his mother to go without her son. We lost my brother recently and that was why she asked, she sees my mother’s pain,” said Frickling.
Judge Pope sentenced Baker to eight years in the S.C. Department of Corrections but suspended that to five years of probation. He also must attend and complete alcohol use counseling and is subject to random drug/alcohol tests. Baker must also register for the sex offender and child abuse/neglect registries. He is also barred from having any contact with the victim.
Barnes sentenced to 10 years for drug charges & hit and run
What began as a jury trial at the Barnwell County Courthouse on the morning of January 25 turned into an accepted plea deal and jurors being sent home.
Rick Lebroris Barnes, 40, of Barnwell, pleaded guilty to a 2021 drug trafficking charge and pleaded guilty under offer for a 2019 hit and run.
Before the jury was brought out, Barnes made a motion for a continuation on the grounds he was unable to find the representation he desired because he could not afford it due to paying roughly $300 per month for the ankle monitor he was wearing.
Barnes is represented by Chief Public Defender Alves.
This motion was denied by presiding Judge Pope.
Barnes was sentenced to serve 10 years for each indictment running concurrently and a $50,000 fine after pleading guilty.
When an individual is sentenced concurrently, it means they will serve the sentences for each charge at the same time rather than consecutively. Pleading guilty under offer means Barnes pleaded guilty under the circumstances of the negotiated plea.
The time Barnes has already served for these crimes, whether in jail or wearing an ankle monitor, will be deducted from his sentence. He has a 642-day credit for the hit and run charge and a 659-day credit for the drug trafficking charge.
On April 23, 2021, the BCSO and the SLED executed a search warrant at a Canna Street home in Barnwell.
According to the factual basis of the case provided by the solicitor, law enforcement located Barnes in the living room of this home with over $1,000 on his person.
A search warrant was granted for Barnes’ vehicle after an alert by Ruby the K-9 which resulted in investigators finding a plethora of drugs; four bags of a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana, a bag of hard, rock like substance believed to be crack cocaine, two bags believed to be cocaine, and a bag of miscellaneous pills. This is according to the factual basis of the case provided by the solicitor’s office at the Jan. 25 court proceedings.
SLED results later came back identifying these substances as 23.38 grams of crack cocaine, 56.11 grams of cocaine (specific to this indictment), and 30.1 grams of meth, according to the solicitor.
This incident resulted in the drug trafficking charge while the hit and run Barnes was sentenced for happened over a year earlier on December 26, 2019.
According to the factual basis provided by the solicitor’s office, an Allendale County sheriff’s deputy was patrolling Barnwell Highway near Appleton Road when he saw a vehicle traveling 75 m.p.h. in an area marked with a 55 m.p.h. speed limit.
Once stopped the deputy identified Barnes and smelt the odor of marijuana in the vehicle alongside a glimpse of a bag with white powder in the glove box when Barnes went to retrieve needed identification documents from the glove box.
A search on the vehicle was conducted and law enforcement attempted to arrest Barnes when he resisted, jumped back into the vehicle, and drove off.
A chase ensued reaching 150 m.p.h. on Highway 278 between Allendale County and Kline.
As the chase continued, Barnes rear-ended the vehicle of a woman who lost control of her vehicle, went into a ditch, hit a tree, and overturned. According to the solicitor’s office, she was laying halfway through the window of the backseat after the wreck.
Barnes bailed on foot after hitting the victim, who was airlifted to Georgia Regents Medical Center in Augusta, Ga. She suffered from a subdural hematoma and a $75,000 hospital bill, according to the solicitor’s office.
In the defense, Alves explained Barnes fled and then ran after getting into an accident because he was scared for his life due to the climate of police and Black men at the time.
Here are the other criminal cases that were seen in general sessions court last week:
