Overview

• Attorney General Alan Wilson urged Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson to seek the death penalty for Alexander Devonte Dickey, citing statutory aggravators including a killing during first-degree burglary.
• Wilson said his office stands ready to assume prosecution if Gipson is unable to proceed, setting an Oct. 10 date for a response.
• Gipson called the deadline reckless and unethical, saying a thorough evidence review is required before making any capital decision.
• Dickey, 30, is accused of fatally shooting 22-year-old Logan Hailey Federico during a May 3 home invasion in Columbia and faces additional charges tied to thefts and an arson in Gaston; he remains jailed without bond.
• Federico’s father has publicly criticized prosecutors’ communication, which Gipson’s office disputes, as the case fuels broader debate in South Carolina over repeat offenders and accountability.