Cyrus Carmack-Belton Case
You may have seen on social media a huge debate surrounding recent boycotts against Asian-owned stores by the black community. This sudden rise is caused by the Cyrus Carmack-Belton case, in which a 14-year-old was shot dead by Rick Chow—an Asian store owner. Although this is a small moment in history, this controversy reflects a larger issue of harmful stereotypes.
Try to guess the verdict after reading the context, prosecution, and defense!
Context
Around 8:00 PM on May 28, 2023, Cyrus Carmack-Belton walked into a convenience store in Columbia, South Carolina.
The owner, Chikei Rick Chow, accused him of shoplifting four water bottles.
Carmack-Belton ran and was chased by Chow and his son for over 100 yards.
At one point, Carmack-Belton fell before getting back up.
Chow’s son told his father that he saw a gun.
Chow fatally shot Carmack-Belton in the back.
Another gun was found several feet from the victim. Chow was arrested and charged with murder.
Prosecutor’s Argument: Chow acted out of a false belief that Carmack-Belton shoplifted
According to the prosecution, Chow and his son were wrong to chase Carmack-Belton for as far as they did, and it was senseless to shoot someone over water bottles.
There was video evidence that Carmack-Belton returned the bottles and did not steal.
Carmack-Belton did carry a 9mm pistol, which was found next to him. However, it had fallen to the ground at some point.
Investigation showed that Carmack-Belton did not point the gun at Chow before his death.
Attorney’s Defense: Self-defense of others
Chow acted to protect his son after seeing Carmack-Belton point a gun at him.
Although Chow was unwise to chase after Carmack-Belton, it was not illegal.
According to the defense, why would Chow chase him for so long if he planned to shoot?
The gun was likely revealed after Carmack-Belton fell, drastically changing the situation. Chow told Carmack-Belton to drop the weapon, but he ran instead, causing him to shoot.
The defense reminded the jury that an individual can respond after perceiving a threat, even if mistaken.
Verdict: acquittal of Chow, meaning he was found innocent
Bigger Picture and My Opinion
Much of the black community and his family saw this as a racially motivated crime: a man stereotyped the 14-year-old as “dangerous” or as “not trustworthy” based on the color of his skin. Reverend Rivers from the National Action Network said, “If the places were reversed, if the shooter and his son were black and the teen white, would the outcome have been the same?" For centuries, black people have had to suffer through racism and discrimination based on their unchangeable skin color. Although treatment has improved in many aspects, stereotypes categorizing African Americans as “dangerous” linger. As such, it’s plausible to believe that Rick Chow really did act on such a belief. Furthermore, his store has reported experiencing crimes from Black people in the past. Therefore, as a method of revenge, people of color have started to boycott Asian businesses.
However, by doing this, we commit the same act of "racism" Rick Chow supposedly did: taking a bad experience and imposing it on every future encounter. Instead of trying to take revenge for Cyrus Carmack Belton, spreading awareness, not hate, is the best way to prevent such a tragedy again.
Bibliography
Comments