Man convicted of burglarizing downtown Charleston coffeehouse

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A man who did not show up for his trial has been convicted in a 2017 burglary, the solicitor’s office said.

James Derick Major, 37, was convicted by a Charleston County jury of second-degree burglary, Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said. He was tried in his absence after he failed to appear for court, Wilson said.

After the guilty verdict was announced, Judge Jennifer McCoy issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

“We applaud Judge McCoy for moving forward with the trial despite the defendant’s attempt to avoid justice,” Wilson said. “This sends a strong message that the courts are committed to tackling the backlog, whether or not criminals like it.”

The charge stems from the Nov. 9, 2017, burglary of The Daily on King Street. The responding officer testified that when he arrived, he witnessed Major leaving the business through the front door, which the officer said had been pried open.

Stolen items from the restaurant were recovered from a codefendant’s vehicle located on the scene, Wilson said.

Investigators said they found Major’s fingerprints on the vehicle and on some of the stolen items.

Major’s sentence will remain sealed until he is taken into custody, Wilson said.

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