Teen sentenced to life in prison for murder of 75-year-old woman
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Angela E.Kershner/MORNING NEWS
Maple Park Neighborhood Association President Ron White, left, comforts Cathy Hansen as they listen to testimony Wednesday during the trial of Davon Reed for the murder of Hansen’s mother, 75-year-old Geraldine “Jerry” Scott, at the Florence City/County Complex. Reed pleaded guilty to armed robbery and murder.
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By Jamie Rogers
Morning News Reporter
Published: September 3, 2008
FLORENCE — An 18-year-old Florence man will spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering a Florence woman after he pleaded guilty to murder and armed robbery before a circuit court judge Wednesday afternoon.
Davon William Reed was sentenced to life in prison on charges that he murdered 75-year-old Geraldine “Jerry” Scott in her King Avenue home June 1, 2007.
Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman of Kingstree also sentenced Reed to 30 years in prison for armed robbery — the maximum allowed for that charge.
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Davon Reed, 18, pleaded guilty to armed robbery and murder in the death of Geraldine “Jerry” Scott at the Florence City/County Complex on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. Reed was sentenced to 30 years for armed robbery and life for murder with the sentences to be served consecutively. View more images, click here.
Life in prison also is the maximum penalty for the murder charges. He also faced a grand larceny charge in connection with the case but that charge was dropped.
Reed was 17 at the time he committed the murder and that’s the only thing that saved him from facing the death penalty, 12th Circuit Solicitor Ed Clements III said.
He would have pursued the death penalty in the case if the U.S. Supreme Court had not ruled that someone Reed’s age could not face the death penalty, Clements said.
Before handing down his sentence, Newman said Reed’s age really didn’t matter in this case.
“It’s pointless for your mother or anybody else to be here begging for your life,” Newman said “You have committed the most inhumane act known to man ... age is really no consequence, considering what you did.”
Society has nothing left to give Reed and the only thing left to do is lock him up, Newman said.
During the hearing, Clements pointed out Reed had committed similar crimes when he was a juvenile and was on parole when he murdered Scott.
Before he was sentenced, Reed’s mother spoke on his behalf and said it was her fault her son had problems.
She said she was addicted to crack for part of his life and he was shifted around in the state foster care system until he was about 13.
“If I could take his place, I would,” she said. “I feel responsible.”
Reed’s mother said she’s confident her son has repented for his wrongdoing and is confident Scott would have forgiven him.
Reed spoke for himself during the hearing and said he killed Scott after he had just had a fight with his mother and he was stressed and frustrated at the time.
He needed money and picked Scott’s house as a target at random, Reed said.
He entered the home but panicked when he saw Scott, Reed said.
“I didn’t realize what was going on until it was too late,” he said. “It just happened.”
Florence Police Investigator Tim Compton told the court Reed stomped on Scott’s face and stabbed her at least 17 times during a fit of rage.
He then stood over her and threw the knife into her as if it were a dart, Compton said.
Reed later told police he killed Scott because he didn’t want to be identified by her later, Compton said.
After the slaying, he stole Scott’s car, picked up his friends and drove around the city in it, Compton said.
Cathy Scott Hansen, Scott’s daughter, discovered her mother’s body and told the court Wednesday about the horrific scene.
Hansen discovered her mother’s body in her childhood bedroom just a few feet from her bed. Her mother was unrecognizable and the only reason she knew it was her was because of the shoes she was wearing, Hansen said.
“When he killed my mother, he sentenced me to a lifetime of hell, and I beg your honor to give him the same courtesy,” Hansen told Newman through tears.
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Posted by ( philly ) on September 06, 2008 at 10:14 am
Life in prison, come on justice system. If they are man enough to do the crime then we should seek the death penalty and maybe this will deter others from committing such violent crimes or any crime. The way he did this was uncall for and he had no remorse for this crime and there should be no remorse for him. Lethal injection sounds good to me she was an innocent person and did not deserve this.I only hope the people who killed Ms. Hayes get the death penalty, they don’t deserve to live. Giving the death penalty for violent crimes or hideous crimes will reduce the overcrowding of the jails. Sentencing them to life,what is that? They have a place to sleep with 3 meals a day. What is that? Nothing!!!!!! I only hope when his brother goes to trial they don’t release back on the streets, he record it too long. They keep committing crimes because no one is going to hire them for a real job so they have no choice to rob people, and if we can these repeat offenders in jail, society will be ok. But we have to keep releasing them on good behavior or something like that or give them probation and they violate it how many times. why? because they do not care, they know now nothing is going to happen to them. We need a better justice system. Career criminals should keep locked up. PARENTS BE PARENTS,TAKE YOUR KIDS BACK FROM THE STREETS.
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Posted by ( maryhadalittlelamb ) on September 05, 2008 at 10:02 pm
lord know’s we all have the right to choose the area where we want to live. florence is just like any other place. but i am so sadden with all of these killing that’s going on there and my god of all people they are killing the ederly people as well as the young. there is just a special place in my heart for old folks because i want to get old one day myself.they just prey on them and it’s sad to loose a love one at any age. lord know’s i wish that they could bring back the chain gang for these young folk’s the pentilty really need’s to stiffen if you r old enough to take someone life i think the law should be for you to sit in jail long enough for the family to have the service for there love one and after that put you straight in the electric chair.you take away a life then give yours ,i don’t care how old you are you should no right from wrong and then the minute they go in front of a judge the first thing they want to say is i’am sorry like that’s going to bring back the life you’ve taken.are like it makes what you done sound so right. then start makeing up all these lies it should be something more harder then them just sitting in prison for life getting three meals a day we are still taking care of them in so many way’s and our love one is dead and gone i wish that something’s could really change even if it was me right is right but wrong is wrong.and i may sound harsh but that’s just how i feel the younger kid’s today are should i say some of them just don’t want anything out of life and when they start being in and out of the system nothing good comes out of it anyway cause then they think they are so hard.to all of the families whom have lost a love one due to violet crimes are anything in that nature my heart goes out to you’ll but keep god first and never look down are back remember all the great times that you shared with your love one and let them rest in peace.
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Posted by ( ladykatherine@earthlink.net ) on September 05, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Why couldn’t this criminal face death row - because of his age? He killed like an adult! He took a woman’s life and tried to cover up his crime. I don’t think that his age should not be considered in his sentencing! He knew exactly what he was doing and he should suffer the consequences of his actions! Why keep him in jail for the rest of his life? It is an unncessary cost to taxpayers! Then what - do we also have to pay for his education, rehabilitation for him to sit in jail being of no use to society?
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Posted by ( ProudtobeinSC ) on September 05, 2008 at 3:00 pm
In response by (tinajohnson34).... ARE YOU KIDDING ME… THIS POOR WOMAN WAS SLAIN AND YOUR COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR SON’S DOG?
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Posted by ( tinajohnson34 ) on September 05, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I have a right to my opinion just like anyone else. The system has failed many times by letting repeat offenders out of prison. But, to me they focus alot on the petty stuff instead of the major issues. And, by the way I have spoken to my neighbor. I got rid of the dogs to stop the complaining.I lost $2400 by getting rid of them, And, I do vote. I would love to see the area cleaned up. But, it takes time and people that care.
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Posted by ( darlingtonsc ) on September 05, 2008 at 11:51 am
e was old enough to kill but not old enough to be killed what kind of justice is that.he amitted to the crime so he should get death penality for doing it what ms scott suffered then he should suffer also eye for an eye
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Posted by ( kb379 ) on September 05, 2008 at 9:03 am
The comment that tinajohnson made was totally inappropriate.Yes the system fails many times but the city and the county work HARD to get people off the streets only to have them get back on the streets due to having the charge plead down so much.It sounds like you need to take the issue up with your neighbor about your “son’s dog” instead of the police department, if that is really all there was to it.If they get calls about it- what are they supposed to do?If you have such a problem with wanting drugs off the streets,then you need to get out there and help them instead of constantly complaining.Most people that also complain about who is in office, don’t even vote so do something about that by getting out there and voting instead of just talking about something you know nothing about.
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Posted by ( Dave ) on September 04, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I would like to know how on earth it cost less money for a person to be sentenced to life in jail for 40 or 50 years then to have them put on death row. 10 or 15 year I may understand, but this punk could be in prison for many decades at his age.
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Posted by ( Lynn ) on September 04, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I think that the kid got what he deserved if he can go and kill another human being without showing remorse, becuase if you look at the court pictures he acts if he is not on trial for such a serious crime, then he needs what he got.Im 18 but at any age somebody knows right from wrong and they were taught that one day they will be punished for their wrong doing.
But just a little fact that I learned from my law education teacher and that most people might not know, it cost less money for a person to be sentenced to life in jail then to have them put on death row.
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Posted by ( tinajohnson34 ) on September 04, 2008 at 10:53 am
I think the system has failed us many times. And, it will continue to fail. The police depts dont care about anyone. They wait always need help solving a crime. And, they harrass people that try hard to stay straight. I believe we all need to step back and take a good long look at who we put in office. My son has been harrassed by thye police and he has never been in any type of trouble. He can pull out the driveway and get stopped. He has a dog. And because the neighbors complain about the barking. He gets ticketed and has to go to court. If the police would do their jobs instead of following up with petty stuff. We might actually feel safe in our own homes. Their are drug dealers standing on corners and crack houses all over. But, they only follow that up at certain times of the year. Why is that? Oh, I know why!! Cause they would rather ride around and eat.
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