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Store's owner says he fired weapon out of fear
By Tonya Root - troot@thesunnews.com
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CONWAY -- A Myrtle Beach man facing a murder charge told a jury Wednesday, just before the panel began deliberations, that he shot a man out of fear for his own life.
The Horry County jury will continue their deliberations today in the case of Eli Eliyahu, who is accused of shooting to death a customer, Bradley Pope 23, of Myrtle Beach outside a Garden City Beach beachwear store.
The nine-woman, three-man jury stalled Wednesday after deliberating for about an hour. They will resume today when a video expert from Charleston returns to the courtroom to replay a video that was shown during the trial, which began on Monday.
Defendant Eli Eliyahu, center, has a word with his attorney Tommy Brittian, left, just after the last witness testified in his murder trial before Judge Larry Hyman at the Horry County Courthouse. Photos by Tom Murray / tmurray@thesunnews.com
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But before Wednesday's delay Eli Eliyahu testified that he shot Pope June 8, 2007, because he feared for his life after the two had a confrontation in Eliyahu's beachwear store, Jaws Resort Wear in Garden City Beach.
Eliyahu's attorney, Tommy Brittain asked Eliyahu: "Why did you shoot him?"
Eliyahu testified: "I felt my life was threatened. ... I didn't see a weapon, but I didn't know if he had one. I didn't know if he was going to take my weapon. He was angry. He was pissed off."
"I thought I had the right to go out into my parking lot and get the plate information so he would be held accountable for what he did," Eliyahu said. "I was afraid for my life. I thought this man was really going to do some harm on me."
Eliyahu was originally charged with voluntary manslaughter, but later a grand jury returned an indictment for murder after prosecutors sought the upgraded charge.
The 24-year-old Myrtle Beach native told jurors Wednesday that he approached two women with three children and Pope in the store that morning about controlling the children to keep them from harming themselves.
Eliyahu said Pope confronted him, "shoulder bumped" him and then put his hand on Eliyahu's neck and shoved him before the group left the store. That incident was caught on the store's security system and jurors asked to see the video again.
Eliyahu said he immediately called 911 dispatch and followed the family outside to get the license plate number of the vehicle they were leaving in.
Eliyahu said Pope threatened him in the parking lot and charged at him, prompting him to pull a gun from his pants and yell for Pope to leave the property. Eliyahu said Pope charged at him and he shot him.
Eliyahu had a permit to carry a concealed weapon and testified he'd carried the gun for about a year for protection before the incident.
"I wanted to get the pistol to protect myself at nights at the beachwear store. At night you get a different crowd in there. They can be drunk and belligerent. I wanted to protect myself and my employees."
Assistant Solicitor Brad Richardson said Eliyahu had 22 bullets on him when the shooting occurred.
Pope's family members said they are hopeful the jury is reviewing the evidence in the case to return a guilty verdict.
"If it will serve justice I respect the jury's tenacity in getting to the point," said Lloyd Georges, Pope's grandfather.
Eliyahu's other attorney, Preston Brittan, said they are hopeful the jury will review the evidence and find Eliyahu was justified in the incident.
"We're looking to trust the system to work," Brittan said.
Contact TONYA ROOT at 444-1723.
Store's owner says he fired weapon out of fear
By Tonya Root - troot@thesunnews.com
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CONWAY -- A Myrtle Beach man facing a murder charge told a jury Wednesday, just before the panel began deliberations, that he shot a man out of fear for his own life.
The Horry County jury will continue their deliberations today in the case of Eli Eliyahu, who is accused of shooting to death a customer, Bradley Pope 23, of Myrtle Beach outside a Garden City Beach beachwear store.
The nine-woman, three-man jury stalled Wednesday after deliberating for about an hour. They will resume today when a video expert from Charleston returns to the courtroom to replay a video that was shown during the trial, which began on Monday.
Defendant Eli Eliyahu, center, has a word with his attorney Tommy Brittian, left, just after the last witness testified in his murder trial before Judge Larry Hyman at the Horry County Courthouse. Photos by Tom Murray / tmurray@thesunnews.com
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But before Wednesday's delay Eli Eliyahu testified that he shot Pope June 8, 2007, because he feared for his life after the two had a confrontation in Eliyahu's beachwear store, Jaws Resort Wear in Garden City Beach.
Eliyahu's attorney, Tommy Brittain asked Eliyahu: "Why did you shoot him?"
Eliyahu testified: "I felt my life was threatened. ... I didn't see a weapon, but I didn't know if he had one. I didn't know if he was going to take my weapon. He was angry. He was pissed off."
"I thought I had the right to go out into my parking lot and get the plate information so he would be held accountable for what he did," Eliyahu said. "I was afraid for my life. I thought this man was really going to do some harm on me."
Eliyahu was originally charged with voluntary manslaughter, but later a grand jury returned an indictment for murder after prosecutors sought the upgraded charge.
The 24-year-old Myrtle Beach native told jurors Wednesday that he approached two women with three children and Pope in the store that morning about controlling the children to keep them from harming themselves.
Eliyahu said Pope confronted him, "shoulder bumped" him and then put his hand on Eliyahu's neck and shoved him before the group left the store. That incident was caught on the store's security system and jurors asked to see the video again.
Eliyahu said he immediately called 911 dispatch and followed the family outside to get the license plate number of the vehicle they were leaving in.
Eliyahu said Pope threatened him in the parking lot and charged at him, prompting him to pull a gun from his pants and yell for Pope to leave the property. Eliyahu said Pope charged at him and he shot him.
Eliyahu had a permit to carry a concealed weapon and testified he'd carried the gun for about a year for protection before the incident.
"I wanted to get the pistol to protect myself at nights at the beachwear store. At night you get a different crowd in there. They can be drunk and belligerent. I wanted to protect myself and my employees."
Assistant Solicitor Brad Richardson said Eliyahu had 22 bullets on him when the shooting occurred.
Pope's family members said they are hopeful the jury is reviewing the evidence in the case to return a guilty verdict.
"If it will serve justice I respect the jury's tenacity in getting to the point," said Lloyd Georges, Pope's grandfather.
Eliyahu's other attorney, Preston Brittan, said they are hopeful the jury will review the evidence and find Eliyahu was justified in the incident.
"We're looking to trust the system to work," Brittan said.
Contact TONYA ROOT at 444-1723.