He committed murder-for-hire at a Myrtle Beach club. Now he wants out of prison
A man who killed a 23-year-old outside a downtown Myrtle Beach club has asked for a new trial, claiming his lawyer was ineffective, and he is innocent of the charges.
This week Kevin Bryant filed a post-conviction relief request in Horry County Circuit Court. The request details a convict’s reason why they should have a new trial.
In February 2015, Bryant waited for Saequan Vereen outside of the now-closed Club Levelz, in the Myrtle Beach Superblock, to carry out a hit he was hired to finish. Surveillance footage showed Bryant in the club and then in the club’s parking lot at 2:20 a.m. Vereen left the club and Bryant shot at him near a group of cars. After shooting Vereen, Bryant stood over him and fired more shots.
A jury in 2016 convicted Bryant of murder, and a judge sentenced him to life in prison. He is incarcerated at Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia.
Bryant says his trial lawyer was ineffective because she gave “erroneous” advice for him not to testify and did not present any defense.
The gun used in the crime was sent to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division crime lab for testing. However, the DNA and ballistic results were never shown to the jury, Bryant claims.
“This will give the court evidence of [Bryant’s] actual innocence,” Bryant wrote.
This story was originally published August 6, 2019 at 2:39 PM.
