KNOXVILLE — Prosecutors have dropped attempted aggravated robbery charges against Tennessee freshman safety Janzen Jackson.
The Knox County District Attorney’s office said Monday morning that charges would be dropped against the 18-year-old and 22-year-old Marie Montmarquet, accused of acting as a getaway driver, because an investigation failed to prove the pair had any prior knowledge of the alleged attempted robbery.
Charges are still pending against Jackson’s former teammates, Nu’Keese Richardson and Mike Edwards, who are accused of holding two men at gunpoint with a pellet gun at a convenience store.
Jackson’s attorney, Don Bosch, says his client was simply “at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Coach Lane Kiffin said Sunday he was waiting to make a decision about Jackson’s future with the team.
For more on this story check back to timesfreepress.com and read Tuesday’s Times Free Press Sports section.
I'm not surprised. There were statements from the beginning that he wasn't involved in the robbery.
I'm not surprised either...he was the only starter of the group.
The Knoxville Police Department said that the decision to drop charges was made " after numerous interviews of persons with any relevant information on these charges and reviews of more than 10 hours of video and audio records related to the charges."
"The investigation and careful review of all relevant evidence failed to show ... Ms. Montmarquet or Mr. Jackson had prior knowledge that the attempted robbery was going to take place and were unaware something had occurred until after they pulled out of the Pilot store," according to the DA's statement.
"Therefore, there is an insufficient legal basis to continue a prosecution against them.
"Both Ms. Montmarquet and Mr. Jackson cooperated with the Knoxville Police Department from the time they were pulled over and voluntarily responded to police questioning. Their statements assisted the investigation and were consistent with the other evidence developed."
The statement continued, "It is an ethical obligation and the standard practice of district attorneys to dismiss charges at the earliest stage of the criminal justice process once investigations reveal the evidence will not support a conviction and occurs almost daily in the Knox County courts."
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