The man charged in connection with a September fatal shooting in downtown Chattanooga pleaded not guilty in his first criminal court appearance Friday.
Darryl Roberts, 57, is charged with first-degree murder and carrying a firearm as a convicted felon. A grand jury delivered his Criminal Court indictment in December.
The indictment alleges Roberts killed Chattanooga businessman, Chris Wright, 38, outside Patten Towers on the night of Sept. 28. Police said Wright died at the scene.
Roberts, who also goes by "Too Tall," was arrested the next day in connection with the killing. He is being held at the Hamilton County Jail on a $5 million bond.
He appeared at Friday's hearing in a video call from the jail. Lawyers declined to read his indictment during the hearing. His next appearance in court is set for March 28.
Surveillance footage previously shown in court shows Wright stopped to talk to Roberts and two others sitting outside the building. A witness said Wright was "drunk and looking tough."
(READ MORE: Video shows interaction before fatal shooting of Chattanooga businessman Chris Wright)
After a brief exchange, Wright began to walk away but then turned around when Roberts started to approach him from behind.
Roberts then appears to raise a handgun and shoot Wright in the head, making him fall to the ground. The video has no sound, but a puff of smoke can be seen at the time of the gunshot.
Wright's killing caused local law enforcement to increase their presence in downtown Chattanooga, amid outcry from local officials and the business community. Patten Towers, which in May approved Roberts' application to move in, also moved to add more security guards and cameras around the building.
(READ MORE: Alleged downtown Chattanooga shooter was under supervision for crimes in Georgia)
At the time of the shooting, Roberts was on probation and under supervision by the Tennessee Department of Correction after being convicted of drug and firearm felonies in Georgia. He was released on parole in 2020, court records show.
In Hamilton County, Roberts has been charged with more than 60 crimes since the 1990s, according to court records. Those include aggravated and domestic assault, vandalism, theft and other drug- and gun-related charges. He did not serve prison time for most of his convictions, instead receiving suspended sentences or community service requirements, records show.
Contact Ellen Gerst at egerst@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6319.