A man accused of stabbing another man this weekend appeared in municipal court Monday and was granted a continuance to negotiate a lower bond.
William Daniel Prince, 25, of 109 Locksley Way, is charged with aggravated assault after, police say, he stabbed 21-year-old Joseph Ryan Davis of Ocean Springs, Friday in the Cotton District.
Prince”s bond is set at $500,000, and he”s being held at Clay County Jail.
Prince”s lawyer, Jay Perry, asked Judge Rodney Faver to grant a continuance so he can have more time to meet with his client and talk with prosecutor Roy E. Carpenter Jr. about lowering Prince”s bond. Faver said he personally set the bond at $500,000 because he was unsure of the condition of Davis, who is still being treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital- Golden Triangle in Columbus for multiple stab wounds to his torso.
Prince is due back in court at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Aggravated assault carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in the state penitentiary. As of Monday, Prince didn”t face additional charges, Starkville Police Chief David Lindley said.
SPD is still interviewing witnesses and investigating the area where the stabbing took place.
According to Rock Bottom manager Bart Lucius, Davis was stabbed on the sidewalk in front of the Cotton District bar.
Prince, his brother and a friend were inside Rock Bottom when they were asked to leave by security after “getting really bad vibes,” Lucius said. He said no altercation took place in the bar.
Lucius said Prince and his friends walked down the street in between Rock Bottom and another bar, Drifters, before returning and shoving a Rock Bottom security guard.
“That”s when Joey and another one of our friends jumped down to help the guard,” Lucius said. “I saw him get stabbed, and that”s when I went inside to call 911.”
Prince fled the scene on foot.
Lucius didn”t see the weapon Prince used to stab Davis. Lindley said SPD has not recovered the weapon.
“None of these guys were regulars,” Lucius said.
Lucius said he spent Monday afternoon with Davis at BMH-GT and his friend is “in good spirits” and joking around. Lucius said he”s unsure of when Davis, who is listed in serious, guarded condition, will be released.
“He”s a lucky individual,” Lucius said.
Despite the incident, Lucius isn”t worried about security at Rock Bottom or any other Cotton District bar.
“The safety of one bar is the safety of all bars because we have the same patrons,” Lucius said. “We”ve always made safety a number one priority. We take a slight push seriously.”
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