After two days were spent securing a jury to hear the case of a man accused of killing Chattanooga businessman Chris Wright, the trial had to be postponed shortly before opening statements due to a courtroom mishap.
Darryl Roberts, 58, is charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the downtown Chattanooga shooting.
Wright was shot in the head Sept. 28, 2023, outside Patten Towers near the intersection of 11th and Market streets.
An officer of the court was reading the jurors a written statement around 1 p.m. Wednesday in front of Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Boyd Patterson. Roberts was mistakenly referred to as a “convicted felon” in apparent reference to his second charge, which jurors were meant to be unaware of.