Burglary victim testifies first

The victim of a home burglary nearly two and a half years ago testified first this afternoon in Walhalla at the opening of S.C. versus Austin Ryan Epperson. In this Oconee General Sessions trial, 20-year old Epperson is accused of burglary first degree and petty larceny in an incident June 30, 2010 on Pine Mountain Road in Tamassee community. Everett Lee Stephens testified that after returning to his small farm from a trip to a West Union supermarket, he spotted Epperson inside a red pickup truck that was leaving his driveway, not far from highway 11. It was months later that Epperson was arrested. And defense lawyer Keith Denny told the jury that he intended to make the Oconee Sheriff’s Department’s handling of the case a key part of his client’s defense.