Local family faces lynching charges

Tim Gehret
Published: September 30, 2008

An entire family is in jail charged with lynching a father and son on Sunday.

Charleston County deputies arrested Irene and Patrick Martin their, four sons and a family friend Tuesday and charged them with beating a stabbing John and Dennis Redick outside their West Ashley home.

A bond judge granted Irene, Patrick and Ricky Martin $200,000 bond and ordered them to have no contact with the Redick family.

In court, 17-year-old Ricky made an outburst that resulted in contempt. He will spend 30 days in jail.

John Redick, the son attacked was in court and says the fight started weeks ago when his father got on to some of the Martin boys and just escalated.

“Some family friend had gotten into it with my father and it’s just an ongoing situation,” Redick says. “When I saw them on my dad I just jumped the gate and started fighting all of them. They were all swarmed out in front of my house.”

Patrick Martin Jr. was arrested Tuesday afternoon along with family friend Shawn Tyler. Charleston County Sheriff’s officials say both will be charged with two counts of lynching and assault and battery with intent to kill.

Lynching carries a three to 20 year prison sentence.