MEMPHIS, Tenn. — According to court records, a judge has dismissed charges against the man accused in a shooting at Jerry Lee Lewis' Cafe on Beale Street which left one person dead in March. However, the D.A. said they will continue to pursue charges against the suspect.
The 27-year-old suspect had been charged with second-degree murder and prohibited weapons in the March 17th shooting. During a court hearing on April 10, the charges were dismissed due to "lack of prosecution," according to Shelby County court records.
The Shelby County D.A.'s office sent this response to our questions about the dismissal: "Our office has presented the case before a grand jury and anticipate that the facts of the case will return an indictment. It is crucial to remember that a case's dismissal in general sessions does not necessarily indicate that it is concluded. A judge may dismiss a case in general sessions for several reasons but this does not preclude the DA’s Office from seeking an indictment. This is still an active case."
Memphis Police said at 1:54 a.m. Sunday, officers were working on Beale Street when a fight erupted at 310 Beale Street, the address for Jerry Lee Lewis' Cafe. According to an affidavit, they then heard a gunshot, and the crowd dispersed. There, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was taken in critical condition to Regional One Hospital where he later died.
After hearing the gunshot, one of the officers said they saw a man — later identified as the suspect— standing over the victim with a handgun pointing at him, the affidavit said. Following a chase, the officers captured that suspect.
Officers said they found the gun had been modified into a machine gun. They also claimed video footage showed the suspect shooting the victim, according to the affidavit.
