Columbus police arrested a second suspect for intimidating a witness in a Lowndes County court case.
Kashuna Smith Butler, 39, was arrested Monday, weeks after she allegedly became involved in an altercation with the witness at the Premier Lounge on 22nd Street South, according to a Columbus Police Department press release. The victim was a witness in a shooting at The Princess Theater in downtown Columbus earlier this year, CPD Assistant Chief Fred Shelton said.
Earlier this month, police arrested Joanne Smith, 36, who is accused of punching the same witness during the Premier Lounge altercation. Smith was also charged with intimidating a witness — for the second time, given she was arrested for threatening the same witness back in August.
Two suspects, 25-year-old Terrance Lamar Williams and 31-year-old Morris Dyonte Lanier, were each indicted for three counts of aggravated assault for the shooting at The Princess, which occurred in March this year. No one was injured in the shooting, but several cars, at least two of which were occupied, were hit with bullets.
Smith and Butler got in an altercation with the witness in Williams’ and Lanier’s case at The Premier Lounge on Nov. 4. Police responded to The Lounge, and the incident escalated to CPD patrolman Jared Booth shooting and killing 24-year-old Raymond Davis. Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting and city authorities have said Davis was holding a gun when Booth shot him.
Butler has been released from Lowndes County Adult Detention Center on $10,000 bond. Smith’s bond has not been set.
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 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.