Courtroom scuffle ensues after life sentence

Sex offense convictions brought a life sentence yesterday for a 22-year old Oconee man. And, as Jessie Wayne Davis was being led out of the courtroom, the man convicted of child molestation appeared to lunge toward the spectator section in the direction of his mother who had requested permission to hug her son. A scuffle ensued, sheriff’s officers subdued Davis on the floor, and a bailiff ordered the courtroom cleared. It was a startling end to a high emotion two-day trial in which the jury found Davis guilty of all six charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. The office of Circuit Solicitor Chrissy Adams released this statement afterward: “On January 4, 2013, law enforcement responded to a call regarding allegations of the sexual assault of two minor children, ages 6 and 10, at an address in Westminster, SC. The defendant had been residing in the home of the 10-year old victim and the younger victim was a neighbor. Physical evidence found at the scene corroborated statements given by the victims. Both victims showed evidence of injury consistent with sexual trauma. The defendant also gave incriminating statements when interviewed by officers from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.” Davis’s mother, Patty Denise Davis King, defended her son and, before sentencing told Judge Alex Macaulay, “A lot of lies were told here today.” As he stood for sentencing, the defendant asked the judge to give him the death penalty so that he would not have to worry about the possibility of someone stabbing him in prison. But Macaulay said because all charges against Davis were consolidated into one trial, the death penalty was removed as a possibility.