Antonio Bernard Grant, 43, from North Charleston, received a 55-year prison sentence for the 2021 murder of 21-year-old Markel Maxwell on Parana Street. Judge Christopher D. Taylor imposed the sentence after convictions for murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Solicitor Scarlett A. Wilson oversaw the case, which ended with a guilty verdict from a Charleston County jury following a four-day trial.
Key Details of the Incident
- Date and Location: May 7, 2021, around 8:34 p.m. on Parana Street, North Charleston.
- Events Leading Up: Grant had been involved in a shooting two days prior on the same street with occupants of a gold Chevrolet Malibu. On the night in question, Maxwell arrived in a similar-looking gold Chevy Malibu to meet a friend.
- The Shooting: Grant fired 17 rounds into Maxwell’s vehicle within seconds of its arrival, emptying the magazine (gun slide locked back). Maxwell was struck and killed. Police recovered 17 shell casings, all matched to the same firearm by a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division analyst.
- Evidence: Surveillance videos from nearby businesses captured Grant fleeing with his arm extended and gun pointed toward the street. Detective Jennifer Butler identified him from the footage.
Trial and Defense
Grant testified in his defense but admitted during cross-examination to hiding after the shooting and monitoring the police investigation via neighborhood contacts. Prosecutors presented messages showing he tried to pay a “spiritual advisor” for protection from charges about 1.5 hours post-shooting. While on bond, he fled South Carolina, leading to a barricaded standoff before recapture.
Assistant Solicitor Jordan Norvell described it as a “deadly assumption” over the similar vehicle, emphasizing community intolerance for such violence.
Broader Context in Charleston County
This case highlights ongoing efforts by the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office to combat gun violence in North Charleston, a area with persistent issues around street-level shootings. Similar cases in 2024-2025 have resulted in lengthy sentences, like the 30-year term for a 2023 drive-by in the same vicinity. Local news tracks these through outlets like Live 5 News or the Post and Courier, reflecting community pushes for safety amid rising homicide rates pre-2025.
Prosecutors commended the Williams-Maxwell family, North Charleston PD investigators, and Solicitor’s Office investigator Dustin Morris for their roles.
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