Alfred CopelandA Hamilton County Sessions Court judge has sent a criminal homicide case against a 75-year-old man to the grand jury.
Alfred Copeland faces a charge of criminal homicide in connection with the shooting death of his live-in girlfriend's 34-year-old son Ricky Shell.
On Dec. 27, 2010, Copeland told police he was upstairs in his 3805 Arrowrock Road home when he heard his girlfriend Helen Shell, 65, arguing with her son Ricky in the downstairs kitchen.
Copeland said he intervened and, during the ensuing argument, Ricky Shell moved toward him, so Copeland fired with a .38-caliber revolver, striking Ricky Shell twice, killing him.
Copeland's attorney, Lloyd Levitt, asked Judge Christie Mahn Sell to send the case to the grand jury as a voluntary manslaughter charge.
Sell said in court Tuesday she would not change the charge since there was more evidence that was unavailable during the preliminary hearing.
Copeland has been free on a $50,000 bond since December.
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For complete details see tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press.