Convicted murderer apologizes

Former Augusta officer's plea of guilty in connection to second death halts plans for scheduled trial

Web posted December 8, 1998

By Margaret N. O'Shea
South Carolina Bureau

AIKEN -- A former Augusta police officer, confined to South Carolina's death row for killing a convenience store clerk in a robbery, will not be tried this week for a second murder as planned.

Jerry Bridwell McWee decided to plead guilty to murder in the death of David Willis, a roofing contractor for whom he'd once worked. Mr. Willis was found shot in the head on a couch in his own living room in July 1991.

Jerry Bridwell McWee (left) listens to testimony during his trial in Aiken in 1994. FILE/STAFF

Relatives of Mr. Willis and the other victim, John R. Perry, were present late Friday when the guilty plea was entered, and Mr. McWee apologized to them for the first time since the crimes were committed seven years ago.

``If I could go back, I would never have committed anything like this,'' he said. ``I am sorry for the people who have been hurt and lost their loved ones. Nothing that I could say or that I would be able to do could come anywhere near asking their forgiveness.''

It also was the first time Mr. McWee has ever admitted how cold-blooded the Willis murder was, Second Circuit Solicitor Barbara R. Morgan said. An accomplice, George Wade Scott, pulled the trigger, but Mr. McWee took the victim's pulse after two shots and decided a third should be fired.

Ms. Morgan said she was interviewing police officers who would testify against Mr. McWee when his attorney called and suggested he might be willing to plead guilty. Prosecutors were willing to accept the offer as long as Mr. McWee pleaded guilty to murder and not a lesser charge, she said.

``Our position all along has been that this was a murder that should not go unanswered, despite the fact that Jerry McWee already was on death row waiting to be executed for another crime. No matter what happened, with all the armchair-quarterbacking that lawyers tend to do after the fact, we wanted to be sure the chances were slim to none that he ever got out of prison,'' Ms. Morgan said.

Circuit Judge Henry Floyd imposed a 30-year sentence for the Willis murder to be served consecutive to the death sentence. That means that if the death penalty never is carried out, even if it should somehow be commuted to life, Mr. McWee will spend the rest of his life in prison with no possibility of parole.

The trial was expected to start Monday of this week with Mr. Scott again testifying about the crime spree he and Mr. McWee embarked on in 1991. He is serving a life sentence for his role in the crimes.

Margaret N. O'Shea can be reached at (803) 279-6895 or scbureau@augustachronicle.com.