SC rapper 18veno shot dead in York County drug deal, prosecutors say in murder trial
A murder trial started Tuesday in York County against a Rock Hill man charged with murder in the shooting death of a teen South Carolina rapper.
Christopher LaMont McCollough, 23, has pleaded not guilty in the death of rapper Paul Harts, whose stage name was 18veno.
Harts, 19, of Winnsboro in Fairfield County near Columbia, was killed Jan. 23, 2021, outside the Rock Hill city limits on McShea Drive.
A jury was picked Tuesday morning.
Prosecutor: Defendant tried to rob victim
McCollough shot Harts during a marijuana drug deal, prosecutor Matthew Hogge, 16th Circuit assistant solicitor, said in court Tuesday during the trial’s opening statements.
Harts was successful as rap artist 18veno, Hogge said, and had hundreds of thousands of viewers and listeners online. Harts also sold marijuana, Hogge said.
McCollough attempted to rob Harts, Hogge said.
“Christopher McCollough set all this in motion,” Hogge said in court. “He is the reason Paul Harts is dead.”
Everyone in the car the night of the killing was breaking the law, Hogge said. A co-defendant who was a passenger also allegedly shot Harts during the fracas and was charged, Hogge said. That co-defendant is not on trial this week but is expected to testify during the trial.
McCollough also was shot in the incident. But McCollough drove to Columbia and claimed he was wounded in Chester in a different incident, Hogge said.
Defense: McCollough was threatened
Monier Abusaft, McCollough’s lawyer, said in opening statements Harts and the co-defendant threatened to kill McCollough during the drug deal. Harts and the co-defendant were armed with guns, Abusaft said.
“This case comes down to who is doing the robbing,” Abusaft said in opening statements. A trap was sprung against McCollough during the drug deal, Abusaft said.
Abusaft said McCollough admits he was buying marijuana at the time of the incident. McCollough put a message out on social media Jan. 23, 2021, seeking to buy marijuana, Abusaft said in court. Harts set a delivery in Rock Hill, Abusaft said.
McCollough protected himself during the drug exchange and struggled with Harts during a fracas in the car, Abusaft said.
A bullet that hit Harts in the head was not fired by McCollough, who was shot in the arm, Abusaft said.
McCollough did not know Harts before the day of the incident, Abusaft said.
The trial is expected to be continue Wednesday.
This story was originally published February 22, 2022 at 5:41 PM with the headline "SC rapper 18veno shot dead in York County drug deal, prosecutors say in murder trial."
