A Chattanooga man who shot and killed his girlfriend during a fight over the summer did so accidentally, his public defender argued Tuesday in Hamilton County General Sessions Court.
All the evidence points to the fact the killing was an accident, Jay Underwood said of his client, Reginald Woods. “Some of the other evidence points to the fact that he did not want her to be killed. The easiest thing to do would be to run – but he didn’t do that. He called the police, stayed on the scene, he cooperated with police, and he told them what happened.”
General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck still sent Woods’ criminal homicide charge to the grand jury Tuesday, but not before lowering his bond from $335,000 to $150,000 as well as dismissing two gun charges: possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Police arrested Woods after they say he shot and killed Katrina Holloway during an argument on July 20 in her apartment at 1258 Cypress Street Court. Woods, who also goes by “Reginald Oakley” and “Joker,” said Holloway assumed he was cheating on her and grabbed a silver revolver from a sofa cushion. As they argued in the kitchen, Woods said, Holloway tried to “snatch” the revolver back and the gun accidentally fired. Police found her with one gunshot wound to the chest.
Reginald WoodsAs a convicted felon, Woods cannot legally possess a firearm, hence the gun charges. But as Shattuck noted, the only proof before the court is Holloway was the one who had the gun. Plus, police never recovered the gun at the scene.