A man claiming to be a nephew of a Richland County Council member is facing several charges for his supposed connection to the shooting and attempted sexual assault of a woman and her daughter in South Carolina. Allegations of violent crimes tend to warrant felony charges under state laws and could mean prison time if prosecutors are able to obtain a conviction. This man maintains that he is innocent of the allegations against him and denies any involvement in the crime.
The 31-year-old is accused of breaking into the woman’s apartment, attempting to sexually assault her and supposedly her young daughter. He is accused of shooting the woman several times. It was reported that the woman was able to fight off her attacker. She is currently in the hospital recovering from her injuries.
The accused is currently being held in a detention center. He supposedly has a lengthy criminal record and has recently been denied bond. The list of charges includes attempted murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm and criminal sexual conduct. He is expected to stay in jail until his case heads to court.
Violent crimes are taken very seriously in South Carolina, and the potential consequences associated with such crimes can be life-changing. It is up to prosecutors to provide a high level of proof that is found to be beyond a reasonable doubt, including specific evidence of this individual’s role in the crime in order to a secure a conviction. If the evidence is lacking, these felony charges may be dismissed and for this man to get back to his life as a college student. A well-planned criminal defense can certainly help in the fight for this individual’s freedom.
Source: wistv.com, “Bond denied for man accused of shooting, trying to sexually assault woman”, Lara Saavedra, April 17, 2014