BRUNSWICK COUNTY — Appearing in Brunswick County Superior Court for the first time Friday, the man accused of last fall’s Southport shooting will be further evaluated mentally, a judge ruled. As such, the capital defender for Nigel Max Edge asked for a motion hearing to be continued, regarding the state’s request to assess the death penalty in the case.
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Edge, clad in an orange jumpsuit, wrists bound and a brace on his leg, limped into the courtroom Friday, standing beside his attorney, Matt Geoffrion, of the North Carolina Office of the Capital Defender. Edge only spoke three words, “yes, your honor,” to Judge Jason C. Disbrow, who asked the defendant if he wanted Geoffrion to represent him on additional indictment charges brought forth in January:
- Discharging a firearm into an occupied property
- Two counts of attempted first-degree murder
- Two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill or inflict serious injury
Edge originally was charged and indicted on 13 felony counts, including three counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and five counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. The grand jury met Jan. 5 and following their session added five more charges listed above.
Geoffrion told the judge his office already represents Edge for capital murder charges, but would take on the non-capital cases as well since they’re part of the same incident.
Edge was arrested in September for allegedly opening fire with an assault rifle at the American Fish Company along the Southport waterfront. Authorities said Edge shot multiple victims from his boat, leaving three people dead, with varied injuries inflicted upon others.
The defendant’s court appearance Friday was prompted by a Rule 24 hearing, a pretrial requisite in capital murder cases, to determine if the state intends to seek the death penalty. First-degree murder carries life without parole or death sentence penalties; however, there is a moratorium currently on executions in North Carolina, with the last one taking place 20 years ago.
Also in attendance Friday, beyond the smattering of media, was Southport Police Chief Todd Coring, whose department was at the forefront of the scene. Coring has gone on the record saying he believed the shooting was “highly premeditated” in nature, as witnesses said Edge was at American Fish Company the night before the shooting, perhaps staking it out. Oak Island Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, State Bureau of Investigation, and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office also were called to the scene of the shooting.
District Attorney Jon David informed Judge Disbrow the state was ready to proceed on Rule 24 — required to be held within 45 days of an indictment — but was surprised Friday morning to learn about the capital defender’s request for a motion to continue. Geoffrion, with David and Assistant District Attorney Jenna Earley, appeared in the judge’s chambers before court to discuss the matter.
Geoffrion said in front of the courtroom he wanted to have Edge examined at Central Regional Hospital — the state hospital that completes psychiatric evaluations.
“I think that’s incredibly important to inform a decision of this magnitude,” he told the judge.
David pointed out Edge had been evaluated twice already by defense experts — Dr. Jennifer Sapia and Dr. George Corbin. Both found the defendant was incapable of proceeding, while Corbin added Edge was “unlikely to regain competency.”
Edge — born Sean DeBevoise, but who had his name legally changed — is a Marine veteran, who claims to have sustained a traumatic brain injury with shrapnel still lodged part of it. He details in his memoir, “Headshot: Betrayal of a Nation,” that he endured the injury during deployment; the book was found on his boat during a law enforcement search upon his arrest in September.
As reported by Port City Daily immediately following the shooting, Edge has put forth conspiracy theorist accusations, detailed in multiple lawsuits he opened against varied institutions and people, including Oak Island Police Department, Brunswick Medical Center and Generations Church. Edge has alleged people at these institutions are part of an LGBTQ and white supremacist pedophile ring conspiring against him, while also suggesting others have attempted to poison him. This includes country singer and “American Idol” star Kellie Pickler, who Edge escorted to the CMT Awards a decade ago and in a lawsuit last year claimed she tried to poison his whiskey.
He also writes in his book the friendly fire that struck him during deployment was part of an international conspiracy and coverup by the military.
District Attorney David agreed to the request for Edge to be evaluated by a “neutral and independent doctor.”
“In continuing our quest to be entirely fair with this defendant,” David told the judge, “and in an attempt to give super due process and be procedurally fair, we do not object to circumstances to give this matter and the state more opportunity and time to properly evaluate competency.”
However, he objected to a point Geoffrion also made earlier in the hearing. The capital defender said there was a “technical” calendar issue he didn’t think was fulfilled in setting the Rule 24 hearing.
“I’m not pretending they didn’t tell me, they did tell me this would be the date,” Geoffrion told the judge, “but perhaps the technical part is, it wasn’t absolutely fulfilled.”
David responded his office informed the capital defender on Jan. 15 and 19 about Friday’s hearing: “We disagree with the assertion they were not appropriately noticed.”
Geoffrion added the technicality wasn’t at the “thrust” of concern in asking for a continuance. Rather, it was about “good faith” in further understanding the capacity at which Edge can move forward in court. Geoffrion wanted more assessment of “forensic evaluations … with as much information as possible” before moving ahead in the case.
David and Geoffrion agreed on April 7 at 2 p.m. for the hearing to be continued, as granted by the judge. Edge continues to be held at the Brunswick County Detention Center without bond.
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