A South Carolina jury on Monday found a retailer proprietor not guilty of homicide in the 2023 shooting of a Black 14-year-old.
The jury returned the decision for Chikei Rick Chow. Chow, 61, who’s Asian, shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton in the again after chasing him from his comfort retailer in Columbia, however maintained he acted to defend his son. The killing despatched waves of anguish and grief by way of the African American group in Richland County, the place practically half the inhabitants is Black.
After the decision was learn, sobs and cries of misery may very well be heard coming from Carmack-Belton’s household seated in the gallery. Chow sat silently frozen earlier than slowly bowing his head onto his interlocked arms.
Prosecutors and a protection lawyer in closing arguments painted totally different photos of the 2023 shooting. Prosecutors stated Chow acted in anger as a result of he wrongly thought the teenager had stolen 4 bottles of water from the shop. A protection lawyer stated Chow fired to defend his son solely after the teenager pointed a gun at him.
“This case is not about a shoplifter. This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and had to make a decision,” protection lawyer Shaun Kent advised jurors throughout closing arguments. The protection lawyer stated Andy Chow testified that Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him.
Prosecutors acknowledged Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, however they are saying it fell on the bottom in the course of the chase, and he by no means threatened anybody with it. Prosecutors stated Chow chased the teenager greater than 130 yards from the shop.
Solicitor Byron E. Gipson advised jurors that Chow “chased a kid down, shot him in the back.”
During closing arguments, Gipson positioned a bottle of water earlier than jurors. Gipson stated that Chow “at the end of the day, believed that a human is not more than that.”
Gipson stated a number of witnesses testified that they didn’t see something in Carmack-Belton’s arms and didn’t see him level a gun as he ran from the shop.
“Nobody testified that happened that doesn’t have the last name Chow,” Gipson stated.
The deadly shooting prompted vigils and protests outdoors the shop. Empty water bottles have been organized to spell out “Cyrus” at one 2023 vigil.