A Eutawville man charged with the 2007 shooting of a newspaper carrier will be committed for treatment at a state mental hospital as a result of a probate court hearing Tuesday, according to a state prosecutor.

“It’s over with and he’s been committed,” First Circuit Assistant Solicitor Charlie Johnson told Elliott White, who was shot last August. White is an independent contractor for The Times and Democrat.

John Henry Isaac, 65, of 117 Sikes Road, was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill. Investigators allege he blasted White with a sawed-off shotgun while the 73-year-old delivered newspapers.

After his arrest, Isaac was also charged with arson and pointing and presenting a firearm.

Johnson explained that the 15-minute hearing placed Isaac in the care of the state for treatment until a time when he can stand trial.

“It was straightforward,” Johnson said. “The doctors said he was mentally incompetent.”

Eugie Ott, Isaac’s appointed attorney, declined to comment.

Probate Court Judge Pandora Jones-Glover said the public could not attend Tuesday’s hearing because of its nature.

But White had fully intended to attend the hearing to understand why he was picked out as the target on Aug. 11, 2007.

“I wanted to look that doctor in the mouth and see what he had to say,” White said. “They want to try to say he’s mentally ill. I think he’s pulling a story. I don’t think justice has been done.”

White said it was about 4:45 a.m. that Saturday when he and his granddaughter pulled in to Crazy Joe’s, a convenience store in Vance near the end of White’s paper route.

While getting papers prepared to load up the paper box, White noticed a man over by the gas pumps.

“It’s a terrible thing when you can’t see, it’s dark out and all you see is a big ball of fire coming at you,” White said. “A lot of people have asked me, ‘Why did he shoot you?’ I can’t answer that.”

Having worked his entire life and through what should have been retirement, the 73-year-old is used to physical labor. He hadn’t missed a day of delivering newspapers.

But he couldn’t emotionally travel back to that morning any further without tearing up at the recollection.

“I just don’t understand,” White said, his voice nearly a whisper. “I drove myself home. I remember the hospital and after that, there’s nothing else.”

Doctors found the shotgun blast fired from a distance of about 65 feet had struck White in the right side and right arm, both of which remain numb nearly a year later. It took two operations to patch up the Vance man.

“I don’t have the strength in that arm,” he said, curling his arm slowly. “I haven’t gotten over it yet. I hear a crack, a loud noise, and ... you know.”

Meantime, Johnson said that Tuesday’s hearing wasn’t necessarily the end of the case.

“If they determine later that he is competent to stand trial, then he will,” Johnson said.

Still disappointed at being kept from the hearing, White said he is satisfied so long as his assailant isn’t released.

“I don’t want nobody else to go through what I went through,” he said.

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5516.

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