Trial date set for Kanku's shooting

photo Montez Davis turns to leave after having his case heard by Judge Barry Steelman at the Hamilton County courthouse Monday morning. Davis is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 9 death of 42-year-old Jonathan Lawrence during a Kankus gas station shooting on Wilcox Boulevard.

After a brief hearing Monday, all sides appear to be on schedule for the January trial of a suspect accused in the shooting death of a man killed by a stray bullet while pumping gas.

Montez Davis, 20, appeared Monday morning with his attorney before Judge Barry Steelman in Hamilton County Criminal Court for a status hearing.

Chattanooga police arrested Davis on charges of first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of a weapon following the Jan. 9 shooting death of 42-year-old Jonathan Lawrence.

Lawrence was killed by a stray bullet as he pumped gas at Kanku's on Wilcox Boulevard. Davis, 19, told police he fired the gun after someone threw a bottle at his car.

"So the state will be ready?" Steelman asked.

"Yes, your honor," Assistant District Attorney Neal Pinkston said.

Pinkston reminded the judge that, in the trial, the prosecution also would use events that happened at a subsequent shooting. Minutes after the gas station shooting that killed Lawrence, gunfire hit Davis' home in the 1000 block of Tunnel Boulevard.

Davis' $1.03 million bond was lowered to $200,000 in March, and he was free on bond Monday.

Davis' attorney, Curtis L. Bowe III, told Steelman that he was working on reports from both a crime scene expert and a psychologist to have ready by the status-check hearing Jan. 10.

District Attorney General Bill Cox explained outside the courtroom that a status check is simply an opportunity for the judge to confirm that all pretrial proceedings are happening on schedule, to avoid delaying a trial if possible.

"Are we on track?" is what the judge is asking, Cox said.

According to arrest records, witnesses said Anthony Russell threw a bottle at Davis' vehicle, breaking a window while in the parking lot of the Kanku's convenience store at 3440 Wilcox Blvd.

Davis drove to the end of the parking lot, got out of his car and "started shooting toward Mr. Russell," according to the records.

One bullet instead struck Lawrence in the head.

During a police interview, Davis told police that he had fired at Russell and "did not mean to shoot Mr. Lawrence."

The incident was the first of two fatal shootings at the store earlier this year that sparked dozens of community meetings on city violence and prompted the gas station owners to hire additional off-duty police officers for security.

In a separate incident at the same location, Terrance Etchison was shot to death Feb. 27. Jamaal Byrd was charged with first-degree murder in the incident.

Contact staff writer Todd South at tsouth@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347.

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