WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Solicitor seeks death penalty in Hampton County murder case
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HAMPTON COUNTY, SC (WTOC) - A man accused of murdering a Hampton County convenience store owner is now facing the death penalty. Solicitor Duffie Stone is seeking the death penalty for Joseph Davis.
Davis is charged with robbing and murdering Ronnie Wooten at the Lena Quick Stop Store in Estill, South Carolina back in June of 2007.
Not every murder qualifies for the death penalty. Under South Carolina law, the murder must be accompanied by aggravating circumstances. In this case, those aggravating circumstances include armed robbery and burglary.
Stone says his decision to seek the death penalty is not only backed by the law, but is also based on a number of factors in this case.
"The facts surrounding both the circumstances of the crime and the defendant," said Stone. "I can't at this point in time go into those facts. It would be premature and would be unethical for me to do so but I can tell you that I believe this case is appropriate for the death penalty and while I don't make this decision lightly I am convinced in this situation, I'm doing the right thing."
A court date has not yet been set. However, this will be the first death penalty case in Hampton County in decades.
Davis has also been charged with murder in a separate case involving the death of Antonio Holmes.
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