COLUMIBIA, S.C.
A panel of 12 jurors began hearing evidence they’ll later ponder in determining the fate of a former convenience store owner accused of gunning down a 14-year-old boy three years ago.
Following a day filled with vetting and selecting jurors, a trial — The State of South Carolina vs. Rick Chow — began with opening statements Wednesday morning amid a packed courtroom inside the Richland County Courthouse.
Escorted in by the bailiff and quietly seated, the jury panel — mixed with young and middle-aged men and women of various races — first directed their attention to Circuit Court Judge Heath Taylor who advised the jurors about their role in the proceeding while also explaining their parameters.
The group then turned to 5th Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson as he began telling a story a little after 10 a.m.
“What is the value of human life?” Gipson asked jurors. “Rick Chow, the defendant in this case, determined that Cyrus Carmack-Belton’s life was worth less than four bottles of water.”
5th Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson delivers opening statements during a trial for Rick Chow, May 27, 2026. Javon L. Harris [email protected]
In May 2023, Chow was charged with murder after he and his son, Andy Chow, chased Carmack-Belton from a Shell gas station, located at 7441 Parklane Road, after falsely suspecting the 14-year-old had stolen water from the store.
At issue in the case is whether Chow acted in self-defense or the defense of his son when he used a .45 caliber Glock handgun to fire a single shot into the back of Carmack-Belton, fatally wounding him.
Last November, Chow was denied immunity in the teen’s death, under South Carolina’s Stand Your Ground Law, where Circuit Court Judge Scott Sprouse ruled the store owner was not acting in self-defense when he pursued and shot the teen.
Still, a group of powerhouse defense lawyers for Chow — including Jack Swerling, Shaun Kent and Joe McCulloch — maintain their client was in fear of the life of his son when he fired the fatal shot.
“I do not believe that you will hear during the course of this trial why a 14-year-old was illegally carrying a fully loaded semi-automatic pistol, with one in the chamber and equipped with a laser,” Swerling told jurors during his opening remarks.
Criminal defense attorney Jack Swerling delivers opening statements in defense of his client, Rick Chow, May 27, 2026. Javon L. Harris [email protected]
“What was a 14-year-old doing walking around Columbia with a semi-automatic 9mm weapon with a bullet in the chamber … illegally walking into a store that bars people from coming in with weapons?,” Swerling asked jurors.
The state’s first witness was former Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy Derrick English, who was the first on scene of the shooting and the first to interview Chow and Andy. English testified, during both Chow’s immunity hearing and trial on Wednesday that at no time did Chow nor Andy advise that Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at Andy prior to Chow firing.
Rick Chow sits to the right of his attorneys Shaun Kent (far left) and Joe McColloch during opening statements, May 27, 2026. Javon L. Harris [email protected]
In fact, evidence presented last November and Wednesday, showed Chow never saw a gun in Carmack-Belton’s hand but, rather, was only alerted to the weapon by his son, Andy.
Besides English, jurors heard from several other witnesses, including Lori Ann Carson who told jurors that she witnessed Chow and Andy chasing Carmack-Belton as she was pulling into the gas station’s parking lot to grab a beverage.
“He looked frightened and scared,” she said. “Just like a child who was in trouble,” adding that she didn’t see anything in teen’s hands as he was running away.
Fighting to hold back tears, Carson said she was concerned by the chase and felt guilty after seeing Carmack-Belton laying on his back, “gurgling” for air.
“I didn’t know CPR, so I couldn’t help him, and that bothers me to this day,” the grandmother of eight told jurors. “All I could do was remove the leaves from his mouth and just stay with him,” she tearfully recounted.
What’s expected in the coming days
With both sides planning to call a series of witnesses, including experts, the trial could easily bleed into next week.
It’s unclear whether Chow, who remained silent during his November immunity hearing, will testify in his defense.
Besides Gipson, the state is represented by senior assistant solicitor Dale Scott, and assistant solicitors Stephanie Taylor and Weston Liefer.
If convicted, Rick Chow faces a minimum of 30 years in prison.
This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
Javon L. Harris
The State
Javon L. Harris is a crime and courts reporter for The State. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Before coming to South Carolina, Javon covered breaking news, local government and social justice for The Gainesville Sun in Florida.
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