Man accused of involuntary manslaughter in court on unrelated charges

Richard L. Jenkins, 30, of Cape Girardeau waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Jackson.

The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Jenkins with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, second-degree domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon from a Sept. 18 incident.

His next court appearance was scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 28.

Jenkins is accused of punching his girlfriend, hitting her with a pistol and firing his gun at her twice at her apartment in the 900 block of College Street, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by Cape Girardeau police detective Doug Hays.

Jenkins also tried to stick the gun in her mouth, and the gun went off near her head, Hays wrote.

Jenkins also was one of two men charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death Sept. 30 of Brent Shonta Johnson, 30, of Cape Girardeau at 1213 S. Ellis St.

Jenkins had a loaded gun, and Laterrius M. Triplett, 22, of Cape Girardeau tried to take the gun to shoot Darieth Nunly, who he had fought earlier that night, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by Cape Girardeau police detective Jeff Bonham.

Jenkins and Triplett struggled with the gun, and it discharged. The bullet hit Johnson in the chest, Bonham wrote.

Jenkins and Triplett talked to police in Johnson’s homicide investigation, according to the statement.

Jenkins has a case review scheduled in that case Dec. 12.

Triplett is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in the case at 9 a.m. Dec. 16.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

1213 S. Ellis St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

900 block of College Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.