CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – James Daniels was sentenced to life in prison. A jury found him guilty of the 2015 armed robberies of two convenience stores, and the murder of store clerk, Trisha Stull.
It took the jury about 3 hours to reach a guilty verdict. Trisha Stull’s family has waited on that for three years. There were a lot of emotions in the courtroom, and before Daniels was sentenced Stull’s family spoke to the court.
“Thank you to the court system for taking this case and making sure my daughter is remembered. We will never have her again your honor. Her kids will never have her again. I just appreciate what the lawyers have done to present this case to the jury, and we got a fair verdict,” said Trisha Stull’s mother.
James Daniels also addressed the court before sentencing.
“I was not the shooter in this case, and I do have two kids who will be losing their father to something he didn’t do but was present. I’m also really really sorry to the family who lost someone in this matter,” said Daniels.
Daniels has a prior kidnapping charge, and because of that he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The mother of his children was visibly upset.
The state argued even though Daniels was not the shooter he was a part of the plan. They said Daniels staked out the stores thirty minutes before the crimes, and drove the getaway car for the other suspects Jerome Jenkins and his brother McKinley Daniels.
The defense argued Daniels didn’t know what was going on and that he was fearful of his brother. News 13 spoke to Daniel’s sister who said no matter what she will always be there for her brother
“I would never agree with him being apart of the plan, but doing things out of fear for his brother and Jerome Jenkins I can agree to that,” said Julisa Daniels.
Prosecutors said now that the trial is over, there’s a feeling of relief.
“It becomes apart of you to some degree, you have to be impersonal from it, but we’re fighting for the folks that can’t fight for themselves here and it can move you from time to time,” said Chief Deputy Solicitor for Horry and Georgetown County, Scott Hixson.
James Daniels still has to be tried for an armed robbery that happened on January 2nd, 2015. Jerome Jenkins and McKinley Daniels await trial.
