VERNON — A Louisville, Kentucky man accused of killing a Jennings County resident last month made his first appearance in a Vernon courtroom Monday.
A plea of not guilty was entered on behalf of Stephon Moore, 30, by Jennings Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Webster.
Moore is charged with one count of murder in the April 15 killing of Donavon Booker, as well as two counts of attempted murder. The 23-year-old Booker died of a single gunshot wound to the upper torso in the driveway of a home at 3972 Squire Lakes Blvd. in Country Squire Lakes, investigators said.
Apprehended in his hometown of Louisville, Moore was brought to the Vernon jail on Friday and ordered held without bond, according to Jennings County Sheriff Chief Deputy Maj. David Turner.
Two Columbus attorneys have been selected to represent Moore: Benjamin Loheide and James Shoaf, according to a Jennings County court reporter.
During the hearing, Webster scheduled three court dates for Moore:
Pre-trial conference: July 25, 10:30 a.m.
Final attorney conference: Sept. 13, 1 p.m.
Jury trial: Oct. 7, 9 a.m.
Meanwhile, cases are moving forward on two of three other people arrested in connection with incidents surrounding the shooting.
Destiny Bailey, 24, 3021 Kensington St., North Vernon, is facing a Level 5 felony of assisting a criminal, After an initial hearing was held on April 26, a pretrial conference for Bailey was set for May 30, as well as a June 28 attorney conference and a July 22 jury trial.
Two misdemeanor charges were filed against Frank Bailey, 20, 716 Country Manor St. North Vernon: battery resulting in bodily injury and disorderly conduct. Bailey’s case will be heard by Jennings Superior Court Judge Gary L. Smith, according to online court records.
As of Monday, no pending court appearances had been posted for a fourth person arrested. Fashion Ellis, 31, of Louisville was initially charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, police said.
Ellis and Bailey were returned to Jennings County late last week along with Moore, Turner said.
Bailey had claimed he had been jumped earlier at the Country Squire Lakes home by four people for supposedly touching a woman named “Trinity,” a court affidavit states. Witnesses also told detectives the shooting — which was captured by a surveillance video — was about leaving a girl alone.
According to a neighbor, the disagreement did not involve the victim, and that Booker was “just a bystander” when he was killed.
