State v. Rice

ANDERSON, J.:

Russell W. Rice, Jr. appeals his convictions and sentences for murder and trafficking in cocaine arguing the trial court erred in denying his motion to sever the charges. Rice contends he was prejudiced by having a single trial for both *612charges because the murder occurred six to seven weeks before the cocaine trafficking. We affirm.

FACTUAL/PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In September or October of 2002, upon leaving a restaurant in Greenville, Rice discovered his car, a 1994 Mercury Topaz, had been stolen from the parking lot. Rice suspected Homer Johnson, an acquaintance who sold drugs,…