Jury hands down verdict in case of man accused of murder near Broadway at the Beach
A man who murdered a kidnapping victim in the middle of a busy Myrtle Beach road will now spend the rest of his life in prison.
A judge sentenced Javaline Dawkins without the possibility of parole. The punishment was handed down moments after a jury convicted Dawkins for the murder of Ryan Bryant in June 2018.
The jury also handed down its verdict of guilty for kidnapping and possession of a weapon during a violent crime after about three hours of deliberations Friday.
Dawkins showed little emotion as he stood with his lawyers for the verdict. Members of Bryant’s family also did not show much reaction, though a couple quietly cried. The courtroom was instructed before the verdict that outbursts would not be tolerated.
Prosecutors say Bryant went to meet Dawkins at his home for a drug deal. There, Bryant was forced into the trunk of his own car. Dawkins drove Bryant’s red Cadillac to the Myrtle Beach area.
Bryant escaped from the trunk on U.S. 17 near Broadway at the Beach, where Dawkins shot him.
“Not once. Not twice. But eight times in the middle of Highway 17,” Assistant Solicitor Chris Helms said during the opening statements. “Shot eight times.”
Dawkins then drove back to his home, changed cars and asked friends for help.
However, defense attorneys raised questions with the state’s theory and noted that Dawkins’ fingerprints were not found in the Cadillac.
Bryant’s family declined to speak during Dawkins’ sentencing, though Senior Assistant Solicitor Nancy Livesay said they wanted to see the maximum punishment—life in prison.
Dawkins told his family in the courtroom a few supportive words before he was sentenced.
Defense Attorney Tommy Brittain said his 44-year-old client has previously served a 17-year federal prison sentence before being arrested for the murder.
“I don’t believe there is any place for significant mitigation,” Brittain said.
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 6:15 PM.
