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Jury Acquits Rick Chow; Family Files Civil Suit

6/2/2026

50 5 Full Breakdown

Center

Family Sues

The acquittal prompted the victim’s family to announce a civil lawsuit while urging calm.
Richland County jury acquitted Rick Chow of murder for 2023 shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton in Columbia, South Carolina.
Jurors deliberated eight to nine hours, seeking clarification of legal definition of malice before voting.
Prosecutors presented video showing teen shot in back, no witness reporting he pointed a gun.

Right

Chow Acquitted

Defense attorneys claimed the teen aimed his gun at store owner Chikei Rick Chow’s son, forcing a self-defensive shot.
A South Carolina jury acquitted store owner Chikei Rick Chow of murder in the 2023 shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton.
Prosecutors said the teen dropped his pistol during 130-yard chase and stole four water bottles.
Defense attorney Shaun Kent stressed case was about a father protecting his child, not shoplifting.

Blindspot

Blindspot

Center coverage gave more weight to jurors’ eight- to nine-hour deliberations and their request for clarification of the legal definition of malice, which the Right summary does not mention.
Center coverage emphasized surveillance-video and forensic testimony about the teen’s shooting, whereas the Right summary focuses only on prosecutors’ statements and omits those evidentiary details.

History

Historical Context

In 1994 the South Carolina Supreme Court, in State v. Jones, defined malice as intent to kill, an opinion by Justice John H. Waller that cited 12 prior cases. The ruling mirrors a broader judicial trend, such as the 1997 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Clinton v. Jones that clarified civil liability. Today Columbia jurors revisit that definition in a self-defense trial.

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Family Sues

The acquittal prompted the victim’s family to announce a civil lawsuit while urging calm.
Richland County jury acquitted Rick Chow of murder for 2023 shooting of 14-year-old Cyrus Carmack-Belton in Columbia, South Carolina.
Jurors deliberated eight to nine hours, seeking clarification of legal definition of malice before voting.
Prosecutors presented video showing teen shot in back, no witness reporting he pointed a gun.

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