8 June Crime Report

 

While 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson was calling a highly unusual press conference about an indictment (yes, election season is quickly approaching) and reminding all of the citizens of Charleston and Berkeley County she was accountable to them (thanks for reminding them, Scarlett) we were busy doing our usual research into some recent arrests and pending arrests. Let’s see what that information shows with regard to the 9th Circuit Solicitor and her accountability.

First up we have Antoine Donnell Alston (aka Anton Darnell Alston) who has been charged by Charleston police with Obstruction of Justice. It seems Alston lied to police about the recent murder of Richard Williams by Walter Williamson. We are glad to see CPD taking that kind of thing seriously now. Unfortunately, solicitors and judges don’t. Alston, of 6951 S. Kenwood Drive,  was already in jail on a charge of PWID Marijuana. His total bond on the two charges is $100,000.

 

 

 

 

 

Shall we dig into Alston’s past? Let’s.

 

2005 Charges:

PWID Marijuana - Reduced to Possession of Marijuana by the 9th Circuit Solicitor. Sentenced by Judge Kenneth Goode to 3 months, concurrent with sentences below.

PWID Marijuana Near a School - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor. Alston got the deal on these charges even though he initially failed to appear and a bench warrant had to be issued.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2006 Charges:

Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol - Plead guilty. Sentenced by Judge Kenneth Goode to 3 months.

Unlawful Possession of a Pistol - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

Possession of a Stolen Pistol - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007 Charges:

Distribution of Cocaine - Reduced to Possession of Cocaine by the 9th Circuit Solicitor. Sentenced by Judge Thomas “Felon’s Friend” Hughston to a YOA term not to exceed 1 to 5 years.

PWID Cocaine Near a School - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

2nd Offense Possession of Marijuana - Plead guilty. Sentenced to a YOA term not to exceed 1 year, concurrent, of course.

PWID Marijuana - Plead guilty. YOA term not to exceed 1 to 5 years, concurrent.

PWID Near a School - Plead guilty. YOA term not to exceed 1 to 6 years, concurrent.

Assault & Battery of a High & Aggravated Nature - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2009 Charges:

5th Offense Possession of Marijuana - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2011 Charges (see below for details):

Armed Robbery - Dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

Attempted Murder - Reduced to Assault & Battery of a High & Aggravated Nature by the 9th Circuit Solicitor. Sentenced by the Felon’s Friend to 930 days time served.

 

 

 

 

 

The armed robbery and attempted murder charges stemmed from a 2011 home invasion on Winchester Street in the Ashley Heights neighborhood. Alston and two accomplices decided to rob Jamaal Codrey before putting him on his knees and pistol whipping him, then shooting him in the head as he tried to escape. Codrey, who had fair number of drug arrests prior to stopping that bullet was likely targeted by Alston due to those drug distribution activities. Codrey apparently recovered to some extent since he was arrested for a probation violation in 2012, but he has had no arrests in Charleston County since then. It is nice to know the 9th Circuit Solicitor believes shooting someone in the head is just ABHAN and not attempted murder.

Another person in the news today happened to be one of Alston’s co-defendants in that case. We previously wrote about two suspects wanted for destroying a Family Dollar store during a brawl. Tor Akil Gregory and Trenton Lamar Gathers are still wanted by police on charges related to that destruction. The most recently identified suspect is Eric Joseph Thompson who assisted Antoine Alston in that robbery and attempted murder in 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thompson, of 3974 Whipper Barony Lane in Horizon Village, is free on a $35,000 bond on a February arrest for 2nd Degree Assault & Battery. Most normal folks wouldn’t engage in another very public fight if they had a similar charge pending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With regard to the 2011 charges, the 9th Circuit Solicitor reduced Thompson’s Armed Robbery charge to a charge of Conspiracy to Violate SC Narcotics Laws. Judge R. Markley Dennis sentenced him to 90 days time served. The charge of Attempted Murder was dismissed by the 9th Circuit Solicitor.

 

 

 

 

 

Thompson also has arrests on a slew of magistrate level assault cases.

 

Authorities are also searching for a fourth suspect in the Family Dollar brawl and destruction. Vernon Lamont Eugene Robinson was just in jail last month. Looks like he’s headed back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robinson is yet another example of how terrible our bond system is in South Carolina. In August 2014 Robinson was charged with PWID Near a School and Trafficking Meth/Crack. He was given a total bond of $15,00o by Judge Priscilla Baldwin and bonded out the same day. On March 27th, 2015 a bench warrant was issued because Robinson failed to appear in court on March 6th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robinson was jailed on May 5th on charges of Driving Under Suspension, False Info to Police and Failure to Pay Child Support. The warrants for failure to appear were served. As you can see from the records above some unnamed idiot judge decided to let Robinson stay out on the bonds he had already violated by not showing up for court.

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s look at the remainder of Robinson’s history.

 

2010 Charges:

Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol - Plead guilty. Sentenced by Judge Roger Young to a YOA term not to exceed 6 years, suspended in favor of 1 year of probation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012 Charges:

Criminal Domestic Violence of a High & Aggravated Nature - Dismissed at preliminary hearing due to no prosecution. In these cases, that usually means the victim did not want to cooperate with authorities.

 

 

 

 

 

Every time Scarlett Wilson reminds you she is accountable to the citizens, think about our gun crime tally. The last few articles have brought our totals to:

 

173 cases     90 dismissed     35 guilty pleas     48 pending.