Charges against Wendell "Dooney" Mitchell, the Chattanooga man charged in the July 2014 fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Jeffery "Hot Dog" Jackson, have been dropped by the District Attorney's Office.
Mitchell was arrested in August 2014 on charges of first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon.
On Friday, Criminal Court Judge Don Poole granted a motion by the state to dismiss the charges without prejudice, meaning the charges could be brought up again later.
Division III violent crimes prosecutor Cameron Williams asked that the charges be dropped because he didn't feel the evidence in the case was strong enough to convict Mitchell.
Williams said DNA evidence was neither convincing nor vindicating and one witness at the scene where the slaying took place gave conflicting statements and had become uncooperative.
Officials said that witness likely would deny in court writing down the assailant's nickname.
According to witness statements in the initial investigation, Mitchell and Jackson got in a fight on July 27, 2014. Witnesses said Jackson punched Mitchell in the face because Mitchell was choking an elderly man outside the apartment complex at 2525 Sixth Ave.
The two walked away from that scuffle, but later that night, Jackson was seen running from Mitchell and then collapsing on the sidewalk.
Jackson died at a local hospital.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.