#MichaelCope has spent almost 28 years in prison for a SELF DEFENSE incident in July of 1993 in Dillon County SC against the man (supposed MENTOR) MOLESTED him after school for many years at his place of business. Others were included but I can't say their names because they have never told anyone about the MOLESTING. I've asked 2 of them to come forward but they want to keep this in the dark. The MOLESTER started the boys on marijuana and then ending with cocaine. If he ran out, he would give a piece of jewelry so they could go get some drugs. He kept a gun in a locked drawer and would show it to remind them never to tell. Michael said he took lots of pics of them and kept them in the locked drawer. Michael quit school after 10th grade to get away from it all. He got a good job traveling to paint water towers. He was making pretty good money back then but Michael was still addicted to cocaine. His addiction was so bad that he was using all of his money to satisfy his addiction. At this time, he was 20 years old. It wasn't hard to stay away from the MOLESTER but he couldn't stop his addiction. After coming back to town from his job, he couldn't find any COCAINE. He finally decided to go to the one place he knew he could get it, His MOLESTERS business. This happened in the daytime. Michael was one of the favorites of the MOLESTERS. He was mad Michael quit school to get away from him. Michael walked in and asked if he could get some cocaine. The MOLESTER said NO so Michael turned around to walk out. He had his hand on the handle when the MOLESTER came over the counter, put his arms around Michael's neck and drug him back in. His grip was so tight that Michael was gasping for air. The MOLESTER was trying to pull him to the back where Michael knew there was a gun. Michael started kicking his feet and they fell onto a glass case. After they fell the MOLESTER tightened his grip. Michael saw a steak knife that the MOLESTER was using to eat prior to this. Michael was blacking out. He finally got the knife and started stabbing backward over his shoulder. The MOLESTERS grip loosened up enough for Michael to slide through. He got up and started to run out to his car. The MOLESTER was running after him. Michael made it to his car and took off. He drove a block over to the nearest payphone and called the POLICE told his name and asked for help. The MOLESTER died across the street. Michael told them the complete TRUTH! There were NO WITNESSES or CAMERAS. I guess they didn't worry about investigating since Michael told the truth. This was SELF DEFENSE, clearly. I heard a piece of glass went through a main artery which would cause a quick bleed out. Even without that, the case is still self defense. The investigator told him if he wouldn't have called, he'd be a free man because they had NOTHING to go on. The TRUTH IS SUPPOSE TO SET YOU FREE but it sent him to prison with a MURDER charge! He had ineffective council, he was lied to and tricked into signing papers and told he didn't need to read them. We guess that was a plea deal. We have asked over and over for papers and discovery but have been told they don't exist or were destroyed! Michael got a 20-LIFE sentence. He is disciplinary free, has taken class after class, is involved in several programs, a full-time job, several job offers, support, going to a reentry program. The PAROLE BOARD had all the power and they have turned him down because the family calls or writes and says don't release him. The family doesn't know the TRUTH because the public defender withheld it and he told Michael not to say anything. THIS IS A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE AND A WRONGFUL CONVICTION!! SELF DEFENSE is a LAWFUL KILLING. WHO WOULDN'T FIGHT FOR THEIR LIFE?? NOBODY!! It's human instinct to save your own life!! Even though this man did all these things to Michael, he has BEEN REMORSEFUL SINCE THE SECOND HE LEARNED THAT HE DIED. For the first 20 years Michael had night terrors with cold sweats. He was and still is the VICTIM. This case didn't get media attention in this small town. It's not popular but it should be!! I have rewritten this as of October 2021. I've tried to make this as clear as I can. Same story, just worded differently. PLEASE HELP BY SIGNING THIS PETITION AND MAKE IT GO VIRAL BY SHARING WITH OTHERS.