Triplett manslaughter case set for July 2018

A three-day jury trial has been set for July 17 to 19, 2018, for Laterrius Triplett, who is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 30-year-old Brent Johnson of Cape Girardeau.

Judge Michael Gardner set the trial date during Triplett’s appearance Monday in circuit court in Jackson.

Gardner called it an “unusual situation” that the trial for Triplett, 22, of Cape Girardeau could not be scheduled earlier.

Assistant Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff told the judge she has several homicide cases scheduled for trial in the coming months and could not prosecute the case any sooner.

Triplett and Richard L. Jenkins of Cape Girardeau are charged in connection with the Sept. 28, 2016, shooting death of Johnson.

Jenkins faces the same felony charges as Triplett, plus a felony charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Triplett said he was angry with Darieth Nunley after Nunley refused to sell him marijuana, took his phone and pulled out his dreadlocks during a fight, according to Sgt. Scott Stoelting, an investigator with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad,

Triplett said he saw Jenkins and Johnson leave a party at a house in the 1200 block of South Ellis Street in Cape Girardeau.

According to Cape Girardeau police, Triplett tried to take Jenkins’ gun with the intent of going after Nunley.

Triplett said he wanted to get his phone back and did not intend to shoot Nunley, Stoelting said at a December preliminary hearing.

The gun went off, and the bullet struck Johnson in the chest, according to testimony.

“According to what Mr. Triplett told me, he alleged that it was an accident,” Stoelting testified at the hearing.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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