NC man receives 15 years for cousin's death

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Three years ago, an argument between cousins resulted in one man dead and the other charged with his murder. The Fourth of July holiday weekend tragedy culminated last week with the plea of Roosevelt Sabb Jr. to manslaughter. Third Circuit Judge George M. McFaddin Jr. then sentenced the 38-year-old North Carolina resident to 15 years in a South Carolina prison. Former Sheriff Randy Garrett Jr. said Sabb was charged July 6, 2014, in the death one day earlier of Keith Alexander Smith of West Palm Beach, Florida. According to reports, Sabb and Smith began arguing at a home on DuRant Lane shortly after midnight July 4, 2014. Sabb, of 1221 Thurston Drive in Wilson, North Carolina, was alleged to have hit Smith with his green Ford Explorer, pinning the 46-year-old Florida man between it and a grey Ford Explorer about 12:45 a.m. July 5, 2014. Witnesses told deputies with the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office and troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol Multi-disciplinary Accident Investigation Team that Sabb was the driver of the green Ford Explorer, and he was arrested at the scene. Clarendon County Magistrate Judge June Briggs had denied bond shortly after Sabb’s arrest. County magistrates may not provide a bond for crimes in South Carolina that could result in a penalty of life in prison or death. Third Circuit Judge R. Ferrell Cochran granted Sabb a surety bond of $100,000 on Aug. 13, 2014, in a term of General Sessions in Clarendon County. According to the Clarendon County Public Court Index, Sabb had not gained release from the Clarendon County Detention Center since his arrest. He was represented during his plea by Manning attorney Shaun Kent of the Kent Law Firm. Third Circuit Assistant Solicitor Chris DuRant represented the state’s case against Sabb.