State v. Ontavious Derenta Plumer

Summary

The Supreme Court of South Carolina affirmed the Court of Appeals’ judgment, modifying it by upholding Plumer’s conviction and life‑without‑parole sentence and by correcting the illegal five‑year weapon sentence. The Court held that the self‑defense instruction was unavailable because Plumer intentionally brought a loaded, unlawfully possessed pistol to an illegal drug transaction, and it affirmed that an appellate court may correct an illegal sentence even when the issue was not raised at trial if the State concedes the illegality.