WEST POINT — A Clay County man was sentenced in circuit court Tuesday to 40 years in prison for attempted murder and possession of a weapon by a felon, according to District Attorney Scott Colom.
Damaris Quinn, 40, was found guilty of shooting his wife, Basheba Ward, five times during the course of an Oct. 18, 2016, domestic dispute.
The trial lasted for about two days, and the jury deliberated for less than an hour, Colom said.
Judge Lee “Jay” Howard sentenced Quinn to 35 years for the attempted murder charge, and added on five years on the weapon charge, Colom said.
Colom told The Dispatch he thought Quinn would serve “a significant portion, if not all of” the 40-year sentence.
The shooting happened at a residence on Pine Grove Road. Ward was taken to North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point, and airlifted to NMMC-Tupelo.
Ward would go on to “bravely provide critical testimony” against her husband at trial, Colom said.
Quinn had previously been convicted of an unrelated attempted sexual battery charge in 2003 in Oktibbeha County, Colom said. The delay in prosecution for the attempted murder was because Quinn was serving time in the Department of Corrections for the revocation of his post-release due to the new charge.
“As DA, it’s our solemn duty to stand as staunch advocates for the protection of women from the scourge of domestic violence,” Colom said. “We are resolute in our commitment to support and stand beside the victims, ensuring their voices are heard and justice is fiercely pursued.”
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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