Killing suspect may face death
Pizza deliveryman slain during robbery attempt
Pizza deliveryman slain during robbery attempt
File/The Post and Courier
Wilson James (left), a pizza delivery man, was killed during an attempted armed robbery on June 2, 2007. Delronezy Washington (right) is one of two people accused with Wilson's death. Prosecutors today said they will file for the death penalty against Washington.
SUMMERVILLE — Prosecutors will file for the death penalty today against 18-year-old Delronezy Washington, one of two people accused of baiting pizza deliveryman Wilson James with an order and then killing him during a June 2 armed robbery attempt.
Washington will be led from the jail into the county courthouse in St. George for a 9:30 a.m. hearing during which 1st Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe will inform Circuit Judge James C. Williams Jr. of his intent, said Don Sorenson, 1st Circuit deputy solicitor. The procedure should take only a few moments.
Pascoe said he has handled 30 murder cases since he was elected in January 2005. He has sought the death penalty in only three of them.
"It's a decision I obviously don't take lightly," he said.
Pascoe said he met with the James' wife a few weeks ago and that she supports seeking the death penalty.
It's a "tempered" decision, Pascoe said.
Pascoe will not file for the death penalty against Washington's accomplice, 16-year-old Deshawn A. Brown, because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibits the death penalty for anyone who is 17 or younger at the time of the offense.
Under South Carolina law, the death penalty can be imposed against adults for a variety of offenses, including murder committed during an armed robbery attempt.
If Washington is convicted, the same jury that heard the case will be asked to decide whether the death penalty should apply. A trial date has not been set.
Washington and Brown, both Greenhurst neighborhood teens, were arrested June 6 on charges they killed James, a Pizza Hut delivery driver.
Washington has been held in the Dorchester County Jail since his arrest. Although Brown is being charged as an adult, he must be held at a Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Columbia because of his age.
James, 54, was shot once when he attempted to make a delivery at 108 Beatrice Lane. The pizza order was fake, and James was shot when he got out of his station wagon, although it appears nothing was stolen, detectives have said.
James was working three jobs, in part to help put two children through college. He delivered pizzas five evenings a week, delivered The Post and Courier in the mornings and ran a vending machine business during the day.
The case would be the second involving the death penalty in Dorchester County in recent times. The other involves an inmate accused of murdering another inmate inside Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville in 2005.
Reach Schuyler Kropf at 937-5551 or skropf@postandcourier.com.
E-mail this story 
Printer-friendly version
Notice about comments:
The Post and Courier is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. The Post and Courier does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "suggest removal" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our Web site.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.
Comments
This article has 34 comment(s)
Posted by NN on August 15, 2007 at 1:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
damn. look at the soup coolers on that guy!
Posted by meemz on August 15, 2007 at 6:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Absolutely senseless act! It breaks my heart for the wife and children of this slain man.
Posted by twocentsin on August 15, 2007 at 6:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fry him. That was a good ,honest , hard working man. He didn't deserve what these low lives did to him. But,Washington absolutely deserves it. Since had has no regard for his fellow man and no respect for life, than by all means takes his from him.
Posted by wonderdog on August 15, 2007 at 6:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There are people among us who have absolutely NOTHING to contribute to society. Many of those are a detriment to civilized society. Life in prison is too good for this low life.........I doubt he would think about what he did and feel a twinge of conscience.
What a tragedy for Wilson James and his family.
Posted by konphidence on August 15, 2007 at 8:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NN, wow? If you only made a comment about his appearance then I think you can't hold an inteligent conversation about this tragedy.
Posted by exorcist_pencocky on August 15, 2007 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If Delronezy Washington and Deshawn A. Brown had not enticed Wilson James to that location with a lie, they could not have murdered him. If Delronezy Washington and Deshawn A. Brown did not bring a gun with them "They" could not have discharged the bullet that caused Wilson James his death. They pronounced and executed the death penalty upon him, with no chance for appeal. They choose to do what they did and now Wilson James is dead. Yes people, actions do indeed have consequences. For those people who aspire to that deadly mental disease known as Liberalism, and would cry out "have mercy on them, they are only children themselves", I will agree with you. Just as soon as soon as Delronezy Washington and Deshawn A. Brown give back to Wilson James the life they stole from him and his family. Yes children, in spite of the news article written above something indeed very precious was stolen that afternoon.
Actions do indeed have consequences.
Posted by kaylee on August 15, 2007 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
At 18 he has nothing better to do. What will he do as he gets older. Save us tax payers some $$$$ take his life with a bullet.
Posted by srogers on August 15, 2007 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Eye for an eye......
Posted by singleroni on August 15, 2007 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
let them go and they will do it again. why spend time on putting them in jail for a couple years and then let them out to do the same or worse. Bet they will plea bargin out and get almost nothing. No justice for any victims. Just clear the dockets. If courts are too busy why not get more judges.
Posted by kma71 on August 15, 2007 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I say we should take him out quickly!!! No waiting on death row, no appeals! Take him outside and shoot him in the head!!!
Posted by JonWithnal on August 15, 2007 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think Mr. Washington looks like a fine young man. Are you happy konphidence? Still, I don't think we can fry his a** fast enough for me.
Posted by da9 on August 15, 2007 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm so glad to see that no one is defending these two pieces. My father was born and raised in the same city in the Philippines-so I know about this man's struggles and drive to succeed in this country. He came here an honest, hard-working man taking care of his precious family-and then these two pieces came and took his life, half of his wife's heart, and his children's father. Delronzey Washington more than deserves the death penalty for this ugly murder. It's almost good (although disappointing) that Brown can't get the death penalty-maybe it'll be a hard learned lesson for this young piece.
Posted by AL4854 on August 15, 2007 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My husband also delivers to help make ends meet. Nothing is more terrifying to me than this story. I feel so sorry for that man's family and hope they can get some comfort from the fate the courts hand down. What if this guy had called a police officer on duty with some lie and shot him instead of a pizza man? It is so scary to think there are people out there like this.
Posted by NN on August 15, 2007 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I certainly can't hold it with you, "konphidence" because it's obvious you can't spell.
And, besides, the article pretty much speaks for itself.
Posted by twocentsin on August 15, 2007 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I would hate to think my tax money was paying to house this trash for the next 50-60 years. We need swift,brutal justice for these animals. Housing them for the rest of their lives, giving them three squares a day is not a deterrent. A long appeal processes that gives them opportunity after opportunity to walk is not a deterrent either.
If they are sentenced to death by a court of law take them out back and put a bullet in their head. Over. Next.
Posted by dog on August 15, 2007 at 12:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great decision Mr. Pascoe. Fry him!!!
Posted by blondjes on August 15, 2007 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
just send him to the chair, i believe like Harpo that we should bring back public executions, it would definately scare the hell out of people who are thinking about causing harm towards others, i bet murders would drop drastically, i'm praying for this poor man's family, he was just doing his job
Posted by ruthann502007 on August 15, 2007 at 2:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The sorry excuse for a human like him should be put to death! Look what he did to a hard working family man! That punk needed to be more productive with his time than destructive! He needs to fry!
Posted by gcs on August 15, 2007 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He sure does need the death penalty!! If he goes to jail, we'll just be paying for him to get free cable, 3 free meals a day, free jailbird uniforms, weight benches, etc. I bet most of his friends are there too!! Just like being back in high school (if he went to high school).
Posted by hawneena on August 15, 2007 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Everyone on here today seems to be in total agreement on this guy's punishment.....amazing! When is a bleeding heart going to post how cruel we all are to think that his life should not be spared? You know it's not his fault, because he had a bad childhood, right? Come on, you know you're out there. Give us some comments to attack.
Posted by kennyt on August 15, 2007 at 4:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is sad is these thugs have rights and we can't take them away as they took away Mr.James's so the next 15 to 20 years after free housing,health insurance(with dental)and meals 3 times a day and appeal after appeal he might get the chair while the other one will be out at age 21 or 22 to kill again.What is wrong with this picture? If it is cut and dry like this seems to be, give him 2 weeks to get his house in order and then the sentence be carried out. The law is for the lawless!
Posted by da9 on August 15, 2007 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As I always say, these guys better hope that no one in the prison/jail system knows about and disagrees with this situation-they will be hurt. I'd like to know where they will be going, see if we can't get them "lost" in the system. Really though, I will pray until these men are both issued death penalties-they are a waste of the air we breathe and the water we drink-I'm sick of sharing it with living garbage. There are people out there who deserve the air and water that we need...not these pieces.
Posted by da9 on August 15, 2007 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Is there anything we can do as a community to make sure this guy gets the death penalty? I'd love to stand outside of the courthouse before they issue the verdict.
Posted by burton on August 15, 2007 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I work closely with the N. Charleston police dept and one of the questions I always ask is do the people that commit these heinous crimes have any remorse. The answer I always get back is NO they don't. That can be seen in this case by the way Delronezy acted towards the family during the hearing. I have no sympathy for him or the 16 year old. You have to suffer the consequences of your actions!
Posted by TonyaC on August 15, 2007 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hate it when the media tries to use age as an excuse for these crimes. If they want to play age into it, then prosecute the parents, too!!! 16 years old!!! If they want to pass laws making parents responsible when their kids don't show up for school...then why not make them partly responsible for their kids crimes!! Why should we have to pay the price for people having kids, not taking proper care of them, and setting them loose on the streets to commit these crimes! Make manditory sentences for parents who kids commit crimes and we'll see big changes in Charleston!
Posted by MJLowery on August 15, 2007 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
da9 ... in complete agreement.
Posted by kennyt on August 15, 2007 at 7:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TonyaC great idea, now the only problem would be to find the parents. They probably live with old grandma because mom and dad are crackheads or prostitutes and live out of town.
Posted by hawneena on August 15, 2007 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LMAO@cvs....anal slime?
TonyaC, you are so very correct. I just can't understand how people so young can be so evil. What will they grow up to be? I look at my 19 yr.old son and I can't imagine this kind and gentle soul harming anyone. This guy pictured is supposed to be only 18, yet he has the look of a much older man. I have to wonder if the evil inside of him has eaten away his youth.
Posted by dave3719 on August 15, 2007 at 9:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I say we hang him and burn his corpse. Giving him life in prison would be a vacation for this ass clown. He has no respect for human life and obviously no heart so he is useless to me. Giving him the death penalty will still keep him alive another 40 some years. He doesnt deserve three meals a day and air conditioning. I know lets drop him off in Baghdad and see how long he survives. Im sick to my stomach now.....
God Bless the family....
Posted by livia on August 15, 2007 at 9:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I haven't followed this case, so I hope I'm not speaking out of turn. However, I DO hope that age will not be a factor in the decision for punishment...If they are murderers at 16: cold, calculated, pre-meditated murderers, then chances are that they won't get any better by the time they are 32.
Posted by jammer on August 15, 2007 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
public execution, soon... why waste years of tax payers money and time on these human cancers
prayers to the family, what a shame... he was a hardworking man doing his best for his family
Posted by hawneena on August 15, 2007 at 11:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just watched this jerk on the news. Yeah, he was laughing like someone mentioned earlier today. I could only think about how Mr. James' family wishes they had something to laugh about. That miserable sociopath needs his cajones chopped off and shoved down his throat.
Better yet, just turn him over to this forum, and he would definitely stop laughing....real quick!
Posted by poorboy on August 16, 2007 at 5:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah I like what I'm hearing, your finally waking up! This is what the black community AND the welfare state has given us. I read here this thug had nothing to contribute to society, how true that is! When 7 out of 10 black kids are born out of wedlock and the streets are their "daddy's" these two are what we get! ThugS raised by rap music and the streets with total disregard for life, property or anything for that matter. I just wish we could get rid of him sooner. This was a crime that just totally blew me away when I saw Mr James kids on TV. I hope they'll see justice served.
Posted by GWKU on February 5, 2009 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
no comment