Trial begins for man accused of killing Upstate deputy
The trial began Monday for the man accused of killing an Upstate deputy during a traffic stop
The trial began Monday for the man accused of killing an Upstate deputy during a traffic stop
The trial began Monday for the man accused of killing an Upstate deputy during a traffic stop
The trial began Monday for the man accused of killing an Upstate deputy during a traffic stop.
Ray Kelly is charged with murder in the death of Sgt. Conley Jumper, of the Greenville County Sheriff's Office in October 2020.
The sheriff's office said deputies pulled Kelly over on I-85 near White Horse Road. Deputies say Kelly resisted arrest, hitting and pushing deputies.
Investigators said Jumper was one of the deputies trying to help arrest Kelly when Kelly allegedly got back into his car and drove into oncoming traffic on the highway.
The sheriff's office said Kelly dragged Jumper with his car, causing him to be hit by a tractor-trailer.
Kelly's trial began with jury selection Monday. Kelly had maintained he was representing himself, despite what the solicitor's office says were attempts by multiple attorneys to represent him.
In the courtroom Monday, Kelly was uncooperative, continuously interrupting the judge and Solicitor Walt Wilkins, saying he objects to any proceedings and did not know what was going on.
Opening statements in the trial began Monday afternoon after jury selection.
Kelly began the trial buckled into a restraint chair.
He did not make an opening statement following the prosecution's opening statement.
Wilkins called the first deputy, who initiated the traffic stop the day of Jumper's death, to the stand.
The solicitor's office showed the jury the body camera footage and dash camera footage from the scene during the traffic stop.
The footage shows the first deputy talking to Kelly in the car, asking Kelly to get out of the car and then calling for backup. He said he called for backup because he was going to search the car because it smelled of marijuana.
The footage goes on to show Kelly start to resist arrest by pulling away. It then shows multiple deputies, including Sgt. Jumper, struggling with Kelly on the side of I-85.
The first deputy on scene says they tried to move Kelly further away from traffic, but the footage shows Kelly getting back into his car while Jumper is reaching inside to try to pull him out.
According to the video, Kelly starts to drive off into oncoming traffic, dragging Jumper. That's when it shows the car dragging Jumper getting hit by a tractor-trailer.
When given the chance to ask that first deputy questions during his testimony, Kelly did not ask him any questions. Kelly asked the judge to speak with counsel who was on standby to assist Kelly if needed.
After a brief break, Kelly returned to the courtroom saying he had decided he would now be represented by an attorney. Kelly was no longer in the restraint chair when he returned.
Following that, the judge said the trial would resume Tuesday morning.