Stephen Corey Bryant – white, age 23

Sentenced in Sumter County, South Carolina

By: a judge

Date of crime: October 11, 2004

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Bryant pleaded guilty to fatally shooting three men and wounding a fourth over a weeklong period in 2004. The prosecutor sought the death sentence for the October 11, 2004 murder and armed robbery of Willard Tietjen, Jr. (age 62). The first victim, Christopher Burgess (age 35), was found dead on a muddy road. Three days later, Bryant went to the store with friend Clifton Gainey (age 36) before shooting him and stealing the steaks they just bought. Two days later, Bryant fatally shot Tietjen nine times in the head, hands and body. The defense argued that Bryant was sexually abused as a child and drugs and damaged his brain.

Prosecutor(s): Kelly Jackson

Defense lawyer(s): Jack Howle

Sources: Columbia State 8/20/08 (2008 WLNR 15654187); AP Alert 9/11/08 – SC 19:18:54; www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2413259; abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/wireStory?id=5777519; www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/sep/11/man_who_killed_may_get_death54148/

  
Kenneth Henry Justus – white, age 38

Sentenced in Dorchester County, South Carolina

By: a judge

Date of crime: July 2005

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Justus, serving two life sentences for separate murders, pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing fellow inmate Justin Bregenzer (age 22), in 2005, at the Lieber prison. Justus went into Brezenzer’s cell and stabbed him 11-12 times with a makeshift knife.

Prosecutor(s): David Pascoe

Defense lawyer(s):

Sources: AP Alert 12/12/08 – NC 13:03:09; AP Alert 12/24/08 – NC 00:37:49; www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/dec/17/inmate_again_asks_death_penalty65264/; www.upstatetoday.com/news/2008/dec/25/one-time-oconee-man-gets-death-penalty/

  
Andres Antonio Torres – Latino, age 26

Sentenced in Spartanburg County, South Carolina

By: a jury

Date of crime: May 11, 2007

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Torres beat Charles Ray Emery (age 61) and Ann Emery (age 59) to death, with a hammer, while they slept inside their home. Torres also sexually assaulted Ann Emery and tried to set their house of fire by dousing it with gasoline and leaving the oven on. Then, Torres stole some of the Emery’s belongings and their van before crashing it, later that morning, in Union County.

Prosecutor(s): Trey Gowdy, Barry Barnette, Cindy Crick

Defense lawyer(s): Kathy Hodges, Clay Allen, John Reckenbeil

Sources: Columbia State 6/14/07 (2008 WLNR 11059533); www.goupstate.com/article/20081023/NEWS/810230248?Title=Jury-sentences-Torres-to-death-for-double-murder; www.goupstate.com/article/20081018/NEWS/810180354?Title=State-links-defendant-to-couple-s-home-van; www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6508650; www.goupstate.com/article/20081024/NEWS/810240338?Title=Torres-sentenced-to-death-for-2007-double-murder

  
Louis Michael Winkler – white, age 45

Sentenced in Horry County, South Carolina

By: a jury

Date of crime: March 6, 2006

Prosecution’s case/defense response: Winkler broke into Rebekah Grainger’s (age 50) apartment and fatally shot her in the head. Grainger was Winkler’s estranged wife. At the time Grainger was shot, Winker was out on bond from rape and assault charges involving Grainger. The prosecution argued Winkler was killed because was an essential witness in a pending criminal matter related to Winkler. The defense argued Winkler was diagnosed with borderline paranoid disorder.

Prosecutor(s): Greg Hembree

Defense lawyer(s): Paul Rathbun, Ralph Wilson

Sources: www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4663905; www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4769996; AP Alert 2/7/08 – SC 01:37:05; Myrtle Beach Sun News 2/8/08 (2008 WLNR 2422632), 2/10/08 (2008 WLNR 2008 2563748); Columbia State 2/10/08 (2008 WLNR 2560288)