Jury returns split verdict in trial of Georgia man charged in Lavish Lounge shooting

A trial for a Georgia man charged in a 2020 mass shooting at a Greenville nightclub ended with a split verdict.

Jarquez Kezavion Cooper, 24, of Athens Ga. was found guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during the violent crime in the death of Mykala Bell, 23, a concert-goer at Lavish Lounge. The jury found Cooper not guilty of assault and battery and the second-degree murder of Clarence Sterling Johnson Jr., 51, who worked security at the club.

Cooper was accused of firing into a concert crowd on July 4 during a rapper's performance following a gang dispute. Seven others were struck by gunfire.

Cooper was arrested in Georgia days after the incident on July 9, 2020, and extradited back to South Carolina. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office then charged Cooper with two counts of murder, seven counts of attempted murder, and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

After five days of testimony, jurors deliberated four hours before reaching a verdict on Friday. Cooper was sentenced to 50 years for the murder and five years in prison for possession. The sentences will run congruently.

Previously:Trial to begin for man accused in the 2020 Lavish Lounge Fourth of July shooting

Cooper was represented by Bakari Sellers of the Strom Law Firm based in Columbia. Sellers said the defense understood the jury's decision on the guilty verdict but was happy with the not guilty rulings.

During the trial, the defense argued that there were multiple individuals who displayed firearms during the shooting and criticized the GCSO investigation. The defense also used security camera footage taken inside the nightclub to show that Cooper couldn't be proven as the person who shot both Bell and Johnson.

More:A deeper look at deadly Lavish Lounge shooting as courts close club, feds take over probe

"We thought that the angles would prove that he (Cooper) wasn't able to do the crimes that they said he did," Sellers said. "At the end of the day, we were successful on some things, not successful on others, but the solicitor's office in Greenville is top-notch. They are one of the best in the country, not just in the state and they were able to get a substantial verdict."

The prosecution was represented by Solicitor's Attorneys Doug Richardson and Britni McCall.

Cooper was the only person charged in relation to the incident. Lavish Lounge closed months after the shooting.