COLUMBIA, S.C. — A man accused of shooting and killing a teenager at a Columbia gas station will not be allowed to use South Carolina’s “stand your ground” defense at trial.
A Richland County judge ruled Wednesday against the legal team representing Rick Chow, the former convenience store owner charged with murder in the killing of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton in May 2023.
The ruling came after a three-day long pre-trial hearing at the Richland County Courthouse. Chow’s attorneys had argued that he feared for his life and his son’s life when he fired the fatal shot. They also pointed to social media posts to suggest the teenager had a history of pointing guns…