Shooter sentenced to 'shock' incarceration

The owner of a car damaged by gunfire during a shooting incident on East Frederick Street last January told a Circuit Court judge Monday the shooter, whom she had known since he was a young boy, didn't deserve any more breaks.

Circuit Court Judge Paul Burch decided, however, the now 21-year-old Gaffney man charged with pulling the trigger would benefit from a youthful offender program rather than a long-term stay in a state Department of Corrections prison.

Pierre Dawkins of Vermont Drive pleaded no-contest Monday to charges of discharging a firearm into a vehicle for the Jan. 31 incident on East Frederick Street as well as a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm for a March 2006 incident during which he allegedly possessed a .25-caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number.

Assistant Solicitor Michael Morin told the court Dawkins was in a vehicle Jan. 31, 2008, with three other people when an argument erupted with two men in another vehicle. After a soda bottle was thrown at the vehicle Dawkins was in it was alleged that Dawkins fired gunshots at the other vehicle, but ended up hitting a third vehicle in which a young woman and an 8-year-old boy were riding.

The owner of the vehicle struck by gunfire said she had known Dawkins since he was a small boy and that he had spent much time with her family, even going on vacation with them.

"I love him and don't want to see anything bad happen to him," the woman said. "But you can't coddle them for the rest of their life."

She said Dawkins had already been given chances before and said he hadn't learned a lesson.

"Had it not been for the Grace of God, one of my children would have been killed," she told the judge.

Dawkins pleaded for another chance and told the judge he was at the mercy of the court.

His mother and sister spoke on his behalf as well.

Judge Burch could have sentenced Dawkins to up to 10 years in jail but decided to sentence him under the Youthful Offender Act for a period not to exceed six years.

Prosecutors explained a sentence under this act can include a short stint of "shock" incarceration in a state prison, separate from the general prison population, followed by parole.

Judge Burch told Dawkins to take advantage of the educational opportunities made available by the sentence.

Dawkins also will have to pay $1,000 in restitution for the damage to the car.