Courtroom surprise!

A General Sessions Court witness called to the stand invoked the 5^th amendment in a drug trial at the Oconee County Courthouse.  The trial ended with a conviction by the jury against a defendant charged with distribution of crack cocaine.  The sentence handed down to Gerome Chris Smith amounts to eight years in prison and five years probation.  According to assistant solicitor Lindsey Simmons, Smith will be required to serve 85% of the sentence, six years and eight months.  Smith was arrested by the Seneca police, and the confidential informant’s decision to exercise his right not to testify, according to court officers, was a rare occurrence and made for some courtroom drama yesterday.