FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Hearing on motions have been scheduled for the accused gunman in the Conway CresCom bank murders.
According to Pacer filings, a hearing for a motion to suppress and a motion to suppress defendant’s statement has been scheduled for April 10 at 9:30 a.m.
Another hearing for a “motion to strike non-statutory aggravating factors or in the alternative for other relief” has been set for April 10 at 3:30 p.m.
Both hearings will take place at the McMillan Federal Building in Florence.
Council, of Wilson, North Carolina, is charged with two counts of murder, among other federal and state charges, related to the killings of the two CresCom Bank employees, Donna Major, of Conway, and Kathryn “Katie” Skeen, of Green Sea.
Court documents reveal Council admitted to the murders.
Bank video shows Council approach a teller and speaks with her briefly. “Council then pulls a firearm, points it at the teller and shoots her multiple times,” court documents state. “Council then jumps over the teller counter. Council is also captured locating a second female employee of the bank who was hiding underneath a desk. Upon finding her, the video captured Council shooting the employee multiple times as she attempts to hide under the desk.”
According to the US attorney general, Council could receive life without the possibility of parole or death for the first two federal charges.
Despite the evidence presented in court documents, Council’s lawyer asked the court to enter a not guilty plea in Oct. 2017.
Court documents filed in November showed Council’s defense team requested the trial to be continued to September 2019. The defense lawyers say they need more time to prepare.
The trial was originally set to begin January 2019. The most recent court documents state jury selection with trial to follow will begin on or about Sept. 9, 2019.