A Columbus woman charged with murder will be going back to court in September. Kalmesha Denise Jackson, 23, of 810 Eighth St. S. was charged with the January 15 shooting of Marquez Kentrel Carter, 23, of 1147 Tabernacle Road. Jackson’s initial appearance in Municipal Court Thursday was continued until September 6. She is represented by Columbus attorney Carrie Jourdan.
Jackson allegedly was playing with a gun in the front seat of her Chevy Malibu, when she discharged the weapon inside the vehicle. Carter was sitting in the passenger’s seat and was shot in the head. He later died at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.
The car was parked at 1320 Second Ave. N., just two blocks from the Columbus Police Department station, when the shot was fired.
Jackson remains in the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center on a $100,000 bond set by Municipal Judge Nicole Clinkscales.
Jared Rashad Reed, 23, of 1006 Fourth St. S. in Columbus, also was in the vehicle, but he has not been charged in connection with the murder.
James Demont Douglas, 30, of 44 Swedenburg Circle in Columbus, also was on Thursday’s docket.
Douglas was arrested in October 2011 and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Police said he fired a single gunshot, on Oct. 25, 2011, at Bernard Antonio Harris of Columbus. Douglas and Harris were co-workers who allegedly had entered into a heated argument. The fight continued at the intersection of Main Street and Ninth Street South. Douglas allegedly got out of his vehicle and fired a shot at Harris.
Mark Cliett, attorney for Douglas, said the assault counts were presented to a grand jury and two were “no bill,” meaning the criminal charges alleged against a suspect have not been sufficiently supported by the evidence presented before the grand jury to warrant criminal prosecution. The third count was remanded to simple assault. Cliett said Douglas’ court date for the reduced misdemeanor charge is pending.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.