Double Murder Trial Starts Jury Selection
On Tuesday, May 7th, the double murder trial for Brett Parker, a man who notoriously ran an illegal gambling ring and wound up with a mountain of gambling debts, begins jury selection.
Monday’s pretrial hearing focused on each side’s arguments in the double murder case. Parker’s attorneys say that they will focus on South Carolina’s “Stand Your Ground” laws, asserting that one of the murder victims, Bryan Capnerhurst, shot the other victim, Tammy Parker. The prosecution has kept quiet about their approach to Parker’s double murder charges, but on Monday finally said they would show that Parker killed his wife to collect her life insurance and retirement policies, and killed Capnerhurst to escape some of his largest gambling debts. The prosecution also pointed out that Parker was having an affair, on top of his money troubles.
The defense insists that Parker’s illegal gambling ring and his extramarital affair had nothing to do with the homicide charges. However, if Parker were engaged in repaying his gambling debts to Capnerhurst, that might constitute an illegal activity, as Capnerhurst and Parker co-ran an illegal gambling ring out of Parker’s upscale Irmo home. The Stand Your Ground legislation in South Carolina does not apply when the defending party is engaged in illegal activity at the time of the shooting.
Mark Whitlark, one of Parker’s attorneys, insists that the prosecution is focusing on character assassination, rather than actual evidence, to prove that Parker committed the double murder. “Their case is basically he’s a flawed human being, so he’s a murderer,” said Whitlark on Monday. “How he lives can’t be used as evidence.”
Whitlark and the defense also attempted to postpone the trial again, for another 30 days, saying they had not had enough time for their experts to analyze material presented by the prosecution. The pretrial hearing on Monday was in fact a continuation of last Monday’s hearing, in which the defense managed to the delay the trial a week, asking for the same evidence consideration.
Judge Deandrea Benjamin said that the defense was stalling and only gave them one week.
Prosecution Argues Double Murder Happened Because Parker “Pushed to the Brink”
Prosecutor Luck Campbell stated in the pretrial hearing on Monday, May 6th, that Parker was “pushed to the brink” because of gambling debts and his extramarital affair. Out of desperation, he orchestrated the double murder.
Campbell argues that Parker’s affair highlights his desperation to leave his marriage – however, because of his debts from running the illegal gambling ring with Capnerhurst, he was unable to afford a divorce. The morning of the double murder, Parker allegedly exchanged text messages with a young woman, planning to meet at a hotel in a few days.
Parker also notoriously had huge debts. In 2006, his father had to bail him out of $100,000 in gambling debt. Last year, around the time of the double murder, Parker reportedly owed $20,000 to Capnerhurst, and another $150,000. According to the prosecution, Parker could eliminate many of his problems by killing his wife – which would not only end his unhappy marriage, but land him almost $1 million between her retirement plan and her life insurance – and killing Capnerhurst, to escape illegal gambling business debts.
Whitlark, however, insisted that prosecutors have withheld crucial evidence, and the trial should not proceed for another month. “There is great risk of an innocent man being convicted in this case,” Whitlark said on Monday.
The Strom Law Firm Defends Against Criminal Charges from Illegal Gambling to Murder
If you have been charged with a crime, whether a white collar crime like illegal gambling, or a much more serious crime like murder, you could feel alone and terrified. However, just because you have received criminal charges does not automatically mean you are guilty. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm have decades of experience with both state and federal law, and can help you restore your reputation. We offer free, confidential consultations so you can discuss the facts of your case with impunity. Contact us today. 803.252.4800.
