A passionate plea on behalf of a military veteran suffering from PTSD wasn’t enough to convince a judge to lower bond for the suspect who attacked a family with a baseball bat.
Defense Attorney Jonny McCoy talked about how Ryan Knox was one of the “most humble, genuine and amazing” clients he had. Knox is a Marine who served two tours overseas in 2010 and 2011 and received numerous medals including a Purple Heart.
Knox didn’t tell McCoy any of that, his attorney said; instead, McCoy had to get the information from friends, family and the man Knox pulled from the battlefield.
But, Knox returned with post-traumatic stress disorder and that mental health condition manifested itself in early April.
Decorated military veteran accused in baseball bat attack asks for lower bail https://t.co/xWT9dUC5td
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Myrtle Beach police charged Knox with four counts of attempted murder and said he attacked a family — including a child — with a baseball bat at the Vinings apartment complex. A judge initially set bond at $200,000. McCoy and Knox were in a Horry County courtroom on Tuesday asking for a lower bond.
Knox returned from a night out and was discussing military experience with one of the victims, McCoy said. Something agitated, or triggered, Knox’s condition and what happened next was in dispute, McCoy said.
McCoy said Knox was prevented from leaving and then there was a scuffle with the bat. A 2-year-old was also “running around,” McCoy said.
“Also Ryan was stabbed,” McCoy said.
However, Senior Assistant Solicitor Josh Holford objected to a change in the bond. He said Knox hit a woman in the head with the bat. The victims had to escape through a window while Knox yelled he was going to kill them.
Roderick Hemingway said his family has been affected by the ordeal.
“I just can’t even put words to it,” he said.
Moesha Webster said she has to sleep with the light on since the attack.
“He grabbed a bat and tried to beat us to death,” she said.
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© 2019 The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
