Lexington, SC 02/24/2022 (Paul Kirby) – Last week, Amy Lynn Wright, 36, pled guilty to one count of Attempted Murder. This crime occurred in the City of Cayce, SC in 2020. After the plea was accepted, the Honorable Kristi F. Curtis sentenced Wright to 25 years in prison. Under South Carolina Law, this charge is classified as a violent, most serious, and “no parole” offense that carries a maximum sentence of thirty years.
According to information on the details of the case from the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office, on August 18, 2020, officers with the City of Cayce Police Department responded to Oakland Avenue in response to an assault that occurred at a residence. This was at approximately 9:35 a.m. When officers arrived, law enforcement and first responders discovered the victim, who was 64 years old at the time, sitting on a couch covered in blood. She had multiple contusions and lacerations on her head, face, and hand. Law enforcement officers also observed pools of blood on the ground near the couch and a hammer. The victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
During the investigation, it was determined that Wright attacked the elderly victim while she was sitting on the couch and unarmed. From speaking with family members, law enforcement was able to determine that Wright had been living at the residence for approximately two weeks along with her two small children. She was doing so because Wright did not have anywhere else to go. Wright was related to the victim by marriage. During that time period, the victim expressed concerns about Wright’s excessive drinking in front of the children.
After the attack, the victim’s granddaughter heard the victim calling for help. By the time the granddaughter made her way downstairs, she witnessed Wright leaving the residence with the children. Wright eventually turned herself into law enforcement. During an interview, Wright admitted to attacking the victim with a hammer, but could not recall how many times she struck the victim. Wright indicated that she did not like how the victim spoke to her children. Wright was later interviewed again by another agency and admitted to harming the victim because she “kept telling her children not to touch things and not to run around in the home.” When Wright was asked how her children are disciplined, Wright explained that her children are spoiled and they get whatever they want. She again reiterated that she was “tired of the victim telling her children not to touch things.”
Following the attack, the victim was in the hospital for nearly two months. She was placed on life support and her chances of survival were considered low due to the multiple skull fractures, brain bleeding, and swelling of the brain. There were times when the victim had little brain activity and one of her eyes had to be sewn shut due to the amount of orbital socket damage. She underwent multiple brain surgeries, and her right index finger was eventually amputated. The victim fortunately survived, however, her way of life will never be the same.
Senior Assistant Solicitor Sutania A. Fuller handled the prosecution of this case for the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office. During sentencing, Senior Assistant Solicitor Fuller explained to the Court that when she first reviewed this case that “she thought that there was more to the story,” but that there was not. According to Senior Assistant Solicitor Fuller, “this was an unjustified attack” because the victim simply wanted Wright’s children to behave in the home.
During sentencing, the Court also heard from the investigating officer. He expressed to the Court that when he arrived on scene he noticed and can still recall the hammer markings left on the victim’s head. The officer also expressed to the Court that Wright has never shown any type of remorse for her actions that morning. The Court also heard from the victim’s family during sentencing that the victim was independent before this happened and that the victim was the glue that held the family together. Now, the victim needs assistance with everything and is not the same person.
Wright has a prior criminal history for assault and battery with intent to kill, possession of marijuana, DUI, and child endangerment. Wright has been transferred to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving her sentence.
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