Teen charged in arson of historically Black York County, SC, church to remain jailed
A South Carolina youth accused of taking video of himself burning a church outside Rock Hill will remain in a juvenile jail pending further examination to determine competency to stand trial, a judge ruled Tuesday.
York County Family Court Judge David Guyton ruled Tuesday to keep the 14-year-old boy in custody on arson and other charges.
The motivation for the fire remains unclear.
Membership at the church is predominantly Black. The judge’s ruling came after the pastor at Catawba Chapel AME Zion Church said in court that the youth should remain detained to protect public safety.
The church suffered more than $100,000 in damage and still cannot hold worship services at the historic site south of Rock Hill, Rev. Darian Potts said in court Tuesday.
“We ask that he remain in detention for our safety,” Potts said.
The Herald is not naming the suspect because of his age.
The suspect is charged as a juvenile with second-degree arson, malicious damage to a house of worship, burglary, and larceny, said Whitney Payne, 16th Circuit assistant solicitor.
The suspect is charged with those crimes in Family Court but has not been convicted. He has been in jail for almost 100 days.
The suspect was in court Tuesday after his lawyer asked that he be released to family on GPS monitoring pending further testing. Payne argued against releasing the suspect.
Questions about competency
The suspect has been in a S.C Department of Juvenile Justice jail since his arrest a couple of weeks after the fire. One competency test done by South Carolina department of mental health officials stated he is competent to face trial, court testimony Tuesday showed.
Generally, a medical ruling of competency to understand the charges and assist in a defense by state officials means prosecutors can move forward with a criminal case.
But the suspect’s lawyer, York County assistant public defender Stacey Coleman, said in court she disagrees with the competency test results of state mental health officials. Coleman has asked that a second competency test be done by a private doctor.
Coleman said in court she has not previously argued against a South Carolina competency decision in 15 years of defending children accused of crimes, but she has concerns about this suspect’s ability to understand the case.
In previous court hearings, Coleman said the youth has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and limited scholastic capabilities. The suspect has no previous criminal record, Coleman said.
Coleman acknowledged in court the impact of the fire on the church and the community, but asked that the child be released and allowed to live with family pending the outcome of testing and the criminal case.
“We understand this is a very serious crime,” Coleman said.
The suspect, who is white, did not speak in court Tuesday.
Church members voice concerns
Previous court testimony showed the suspect lived near the church at the time of the fire.
Neither police nor prosecutors have said in court that there is believed to be any racial motivation tied to the fire.
Yet no alleged motive was spoken about in court hearings.
No one was hurt in the fire. The fire did not happen during church services, officials have said previously. The damage was discovered in April between weekend worship services when church members went to the building, deputies said.
Sheriff’s office detectives said previously in court they have a video the suspect took during the fire, and a fuel canister was recovered in the church.
The fire was investigated by sheriff deputies, as well as the State Law Enforcement Division, FBI, and the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Several church leaders and members have attended previous hearings to voice concerns about safety following the fire, said Alton Johnson, a church steward.
Catawba Chapel has ministered to people at the Hall Spencer Road location for decades. It has a long tradition of public service.
In a written statement to The Herald after court, Rev. Potts said the Catawba Chapel congregation remain undaunted in continuing to serve the community, even as the congregation grapples with understanding why Catawba Chapel was targeted.
“Catawba Chapel AME Zion Church has been a staple and pillar of this community for an extremely long time,” Potts said in the statement. “Our hearts were and are still saddened. We feel extremely violated and most disrespected. We are a loving and compassionate congregation. We will not be shaken; we will maintain our resolve and we will continue to stand strong in the face of adversity. Moreover, we will allow our light to continue to shine in the midst of evilness, hatred and darkness.”
What happens now?
It remains unclear when a trial could happen in Family Court. In Family Court potential punishments can only run through age 21 if a person is convicted, South Carolina law states.
Guyton ruled Tuesday that another detention hearing will be held after the second competency hearing is completed.
Guyton also ordered that the suspect receive treatment while remaining in the custody of the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice.
This story was originally published August 17, 2022 at 8:39 AM.
