2 charged after punches thrown at York County courthouse in murder case, sheriff says
Two men have been charged after punches were thrown at York County’s Moss Justice Center courthouse during a bond hearing in a Rock Hill double murder case, officials said.
The case involves the killing of two Rock Hill teens in January where three teens were later charged with murder, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the York County Sheriff’s Office. Two of the suspects were in court Friday for bond hearings after both had been in jail since February, according to Faris and court records.
The incident Friday was between two men believed to be visitors at the courthouse, Faris said.
One man punched another man outside the courtroom during bond hearing, Faris said. The man who threw the punch left the courthouse before deputies took him into custody near the parking deck, Faris said.
In a second assault involving two other people at the courthouse outside the courtroom shortly after the first incident, one man hit another person, Faris said. He was taken into custody at the scene in the courthouse, Fais said.
There were no reports of injuries, Faris said.
Both suspects were charged with third-degree assault and battery, Faris said. The names of the two men charged were not available Friday afternoon. The relationship between the two men charged in the courthouse assaults, and the defendants and victims in the ongoing case, has not been released.
Court security and safety
The courthouse buildings were shut down briefly after the incident before re-opening, York County Clerk of Court David Hamilton said. In South Carolina, the county clerk of court is responsible for the courthouse buildings.
Video surveillance of courtrooms and other courthouse areas are being reviewed, said York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson. That video has not been released.
Armed sheriff’s office deputies in uniform work as court security officers in courtrooms and in the Moss Justice Center building adjacent to the sheriff’s office. All visitors pass through a metal detector to the courthouse.
Unarmed civilian bailiffs who work for the clerk of court office also work in the building and in the courtrooms.
The court case
The murder case that was ongoing at the time the fight involves three suspects charged with an execution-style ambush of two other teens in January on Byars Street in Rock Hill.
Zyon Minton, 17, and Digarian Foster, 18, were killed Jan. 23.
John’Quavious La’Quan Kelly, Jon’Tarius Delmone Reid and Kelvin Barnette Jr. were charged in February with two counts of murder each in the deaths of Minton and Foster, according to police and court records.
All three suspects remain held without bail after bond was denied in court Friday, York County jail and court records show.
