Friend of 18veno sentenced, testified against man accused in SC rapper’s death
A friend of slain South Carolina rapper 18veno has pleaded guilty to gun violations after testifying last month against the man convicted in the rapper’s death.
Paul Harts, 19, of Winnsboro, was known by the stage name 18veno. He died after suffering two gunshot wounds in January 2021 outside Rock Hill in a robbery during a drug deal, according to court testimony.
Khalil Robinson, 21, of Winnsboro, a lifelong friend of Harts, pleaded guilty Thursday to possession of a gun by a person convicted of a violent crime, according to court records and lawyers in the case. South Carolina law makes it illegal for a person convicted of a felony to possess a gun. Robinson has previous convictions in Fairfield County for drug violations and possession of a stolen car, South Carolina court records show.
Christopher Lamont McCollough, 23, of Rock Hill, was convicted last month of voluntary manslaughter in Harts’ death. McCollough was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Robinson was a prosecution witness in McCollough’s trial last month. McCollough’s lawyer has appealed the verdict.
At that trial, prosecutors said McCollough was trying to rob Harts and Robinson during a marijuana deal.
Robinson also fired one of the shots that hit Harts, court testimony showed. He was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by two years of probation. He received credit for the 400 days he’s been in jail.
Prosecutors dropped a charge of voluntary manslaughter against Robinson as part of a negotiated plea agreement after Robinson testified against McCollough.
Robinson shot gun in self-defense
Harts was the driver and Robinson was in the passenger seat during the 2021 shooting where all three people in the car had guns, prosecutors said.
Harts had wounds from two guns, court testimony showed. One of the shots came from Robinson during a struggle among the men, prosecutors and Robinson’s lawyer said. Prosecutors said McCollough fired the other shot that hit Harts.
Robinson’s lawyer, York County Public Defender B.J. Barrowclough, said Thursday after court that Robinson was a victim in the shooutout, and the shot by Robinson that hit Harts was self-defense.
“In trying to defend himself and Paul Harts, Robinson did accidentally shoot his best friend,” Barrowclough said after court. “That is something he will have to live with for the rest of his life.”
Barrowclough said Robinson’s primary motivation to cooperate in the prosecution of McCollough was to get justice for Harts.
Cooperation in trial
McCollough and his lawyer claimed during the February trial that Harts and Robinson were trying to rob him, and that McCollough was the actual victim.
Robinson testified in the trial that he fired a shot as Harts and McCollough struggled. The shot from Robinson’s gun ended up hitting Harts in the head, trial testimony in February showed.
Prosecutors Matthew Hogge and Chris Epting of the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said Robinson provided material cooperation during the February trial even though he was incriminated himself.
“(Robinson) testified without promise and took a leap of faith, incriminating himself,” Epting said Thursday after court.
A letter from Harts’ family thanked Robinson for his courage in testifying in the February trial was read in court Thursday, lawyers in the case said.
This story was originally published March 10, 2022 at 5:44 PM.
