Solicitor’s office, defense rest their case in Howard’s Rock trial
By: will-vandervort July 22, 2015

PICKENS — Micah Rogers, who was accused of vandalizing Howard’s Rock in June of 2013, had his day in court on Wednesday.

Rogers’ attorney and the assistant solicitor wrapped up their case at the Pickens County Courthouse. On Thursday, they’ll present closing arguments before a jury is asked to reach a verdict.

When Circuit Judge James R. Barber recessed on Wednesday, he, Assistant Solicitor Baker Cleveland and defense attorney Frank Eppes met privately in his chambers to discuss the charges against the defendant. Rogers has been charged with grand larceny of value over $10,000 and malicious damage to property. However, Epps says the larceny charge in the case should be for a value under $2,000.

It seemed as if Judge Barber was leaning towards the defense’s side on the charge of malicious damage to property.

Wednesday was the second day of the trial. Cleveland rested his case following testimonies from a Clemson University Police Captain, a SLED agent and the prosecution’s key witness, Xavier Winn.

Winn, who grew up with Rogers, was with the defendant the night of the alleged incident. He testified that he, Rogers and A.J. Gainey, who was charged with obstruction and conspiracy, drove his truck to Clemson after dark and took photos. Winn said Rogers climbed the fence at Memorial Stadium before he heard breaking glass and banging, but he could not see what was happening. Winn and Gainey then went across the street to the Scroll of Honor. Rogers joined them shortly thereafter.

(Twitter photos are from Mandy Gaither of WYFF Channel 4)

When the three men returned to the truck, Rogers danced in the streets and said, “I got what I wanted. I got a piece of the rock.”

Surveillance video confirmed most of Winn’s story. However, there’s no video evidence that Rogers had any part of Howard’s Rock on his person.

Captain Brad Rhodes testified before Winn and said there was no proof that Rogers ever possessed any of the pieces broken off Howard’s Rock on June 2, 2013.

Rhoades and SLED agent Michael Sloan testified they had no real leads in the case until Rogers, Winn and another suspect came to the Pickens County Courthouse once surveillance photos on the Internet showed Rogers’ truck coming in and leaving Clemson on the night of the incident.

The prosecution rested its case following Winn’s testimony. On Tuesday, Barber allowed a memorabilia expert to testify, after Eppes’ motion not to allow it. According to the memorabilia expert, the piece of Howard’s Rock that was broken off has a market value of $134,000 if broken into 1,344 pieces.

The defense called two witnesses before it rested its case. A character witness named Austin Owens and Rogers’ mother, Connie, who entered a picture into evidence, along with a pair of shorts and sunglasses.