These three videos address what happens when a self-defense shooting leads to criminal charges in South Carolina, covering bond outcomes, arrest scenarios, and how often these cases arise. Together, they outline the legal risks involved even when a shooting was lawful self-defense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if bond is denied after a self-defense shooting in South Carolina?
If the person’s charged with shooting someone who did not die and they shot them in self-defense, and bond is denied, which we would argue it shouldn’t be, yes, we can probably get them out. It may be weeks, it may be months. If the person dies, now it’s a murder case.
It doesn’t matter that you shot in self-defense, you’re still charged with murder and it’s treated as a murder charge. That can complicate things, and certainly if you fled the jurisdiction prior to being arrested, that’s a huge factor. We’ve seen that where somebody had to be extradited back from another country.
Arrested After a Self-Defense Shooting in South Carolina? Can You Get Bond?
You should. Just by the very nature of the offense, you shot someone in self-defense, which is your legal right. You have a legal right to have a firearm. You have a legal right to use it if you’re being threatened in certain ways. Having said that, sometimes bonds are held up or denied.
And the other thing is, if you shoot somebody in self-defense because you had to do it, really pray they don’t die, because if they die, you’re charged with murder. You could be in jail several weeks or even a month or two. So it’s very important that you get a lawyer in a case like that if you shoot someone in self-defense.
Self-Defense Shooting in South Carolina: What Really Happens After You Pull the Trigger
It seems like every week or two you’re reading about something in the news, especially here. Maybe it doesn’t happen that frequently, but certainly people are very interested in it. This is the thing that happens to people, good people, who get in a situation where they’re armed, they’re lawfully armed, they’re being threatened.
If you read the law, they acted completely within the law, there’s self-defense law, they follow it, they defend themselves with a gun that’s lawful, and the next thing you know, they’re charged with shooting somebody.
A self-defense shooting charge in South Carolina can move quickly from a justified act to a serious criminal case, and the stakes only grow if the outcome involves a death. With nearly 30 years of experience and a background as a former prosecutor, Greg McCollum brings insight from both sides of the courtroom to these cases.
If you have questions about self-defense shooting charges, call the Greg McCollum Complete Legal Defense Team at (843) 626-5480. Consultations are confidential.
