LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington judge has amended a murder charge to manslaughter for a man accused in an April shooting.
The shooting happened on April 20 on Chestnut Street. 43-year-old Timonte D. Harris and 32-year-old Lakeisha Hill were killed.
37-year-old Corry Jackson was arrested in connection to the shooting and initially charged with Harris's murder. Police say Jackson shot and killed Harris after Harris allegedly shot Hill. She too later died.
Jackson says he wasn't there and didn't pull the trigger. Defense attorney Daniel Whitley said a ballistics lab report could determine a lot in the case.
"I think the evidence was he was walking up the street and within seconds the police department is apprehending him with no weapon," said Whitley. "Surveillance video showed he had no weapon and there's no one saying he had a weapon."
During testimony, Detective Jeremy Atkins said they developed a person of interest but haven't confirmed he is actually the shooter.
"I don't see it as murder... based on your testimony." Fayette District Judge Denotra Gunther said to Atkins.
"From the beginning, they're just trying to pin something on someone they know they don't have," said Corry's mother, Angela. "They need to do their job, work a little harder, and find who they’re looking for."
"Think about if you're an innocent person accused of firing a weapon and there's gunshot residue and it's going to take two months," said Whitley. "Imagine now being that individual rotting away in a jail cell, by yourself, understaffed not getting the attention you need or anything, but when it comes back exonerated and we find out the gunshot residue isn't there, that's four months of your life that's gone. And that's the danger of these laboratories and these test results are all backed up."
In Jackson's preliminary hearing on Monday, the judge ruled that he will now face a manslaughter charge, and his bond was also reduced from $500,000 to $100,000. His case will head to the grand jury in Lexington.
