Griffin sentenced to life in prison in CCU student shooting case

A judge sentenced a Myrtle Beach teenager to life in prison after being found guilty on murder charges.

The jury found Keion Griffin, 19, guilty in the 2008 deadly shooting of a Coastal Carolina University student.

The first time the jury deliberated on Wednesday, it came back deadlocked. About twenty minutes after deliberating for the second time, the jury gave its final “guilty” verdict.
The 19-year-old is charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He is believed to be part of the deadly shooting on Corey Brooks, 20, on May 25, 2008.

On Wednesday, Griffin’s public defender, James Galmore asked the judge for a direct verdict, meaning he told the judge that because of the state’s “inconsistent evidence”, his client is not guilty.

Judge Larry B. Hyman denied that motion twice.

Galmore’s arguments remained consistent since opening arguments on Monday, when he told the jury that his client takes no responsibility in the Brooks’ death. He then said that Griffin denied the charges made against him.

“My client is presumed innocent and at this moment he is wrapped in cloak of innocence and his job is to maintain his innocence, therefore it incumbent upon the state to do their job,” Galmore said before the jury on Wednesday.

Before being charged and deliberating its verdict, the jury listened to witness statements from friends of both Griffin and Brooks. On Wednesday, other testimonies were heard from Dr. Edward Proctor, who examined Brooks; a female bystander to the incident; and a SLED investigator.

Prosecutor Donna Elder told the jury on Monday, “It is time today for Keion Griffin to pay a price, it is time to make him accountable it is time for him to pay his bill, it’s time for us to find him guilty.”

But that’s also when two of Griffin’s brothers told News13 that, “it’s unfair he is still sitting in jail for something he didn’t do.”

Witnesses said Brooks got into an argument with two people shortly before Brooks was shot in the back. They said those two people are Griffin and Demario Stukes. Stukes, 17, is a Myrtle Beach High School student who also testified in court Tuesday.

Elder said one of Brooks’ friends got into a fight with Stukes after the two were arguing over a parking spot at a beach house.

“It was just a parking spot,” said Elder, “Was that worth it? Absolutely not, it is absolutely tragic and senseless… if I asked you today ‘what is the price of life’, more than likely you would say it’s priceless. But on May 25th the price of life, Corey Brooks’ life was a parking space.”

Elder said Brooks tried to help break up the fight before Griffin shot Brooks in the back three time. The third shot was the fatal one.

Elder told the jury that another suspect, a juvenile, gave Griffin and Stukes the .22 caliber murder weapon earlier in the day on May 25.

Police say all three suspects left the scene following the shooting.

Investigators found the murder weapon in a trash can at a vacant home beside the juvenile’s home, according to prosecutors.

On Wednesday Brook’s aunt Debbie Alford gave a speech to the court after the sentence was handed down.

“We pray and sincerely hope that no other family has to go through this,“ said Alford, “we are not out for hate, hate has nothing to do with this we’re not out for revenge, revenge has nothing to do with this, we simply ask you for justice we want to honor the memory of our son Corey Brooks by making sure that the person that’s found guilty of this receives the maximum sentence that the state of South Carolina allows.“

Judge Hyman asked Griffin if he had anything to say to the court and he responded in a sobbing voice, “You know how people ask you if you could have one wish what you would wish for? If I had one wish, I wish Corey Brooks was here right now so his family members could have him with them and so he can tell everyone who the shooter really was that’s what I wish for, that’s all I have to say sir.“

It took Myrtle Beach police, the State Law Enforcement Division, and the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office nearly five days to identify and charge the three in the Brooks murder.