State v. Cooper

TOAL, Justice:

In this criminal case, Kelvin Cooper (“Defendant”) was convicted and sentenced for the murder of Charles H. Griffin (“Victim”). Defendant appeals his conviction.

Factual/Procedural Background

On March 1, 1995, Victim’s cousin, John Griffin, discovered Victim stabbed to death in Victim’s house in Newberry, South Carolina. John Griffin testified that he found Victim lying nude on the floor in the bedroom. Victim’s throat had been cut and his face slashed. Victim had been cut, stabbed, and slashed over 70 times. Griffin immediately called the police.

Shortly after arriving at the…