Revenge Seen as Motive in Courthouse Shooting

(CN) - Authorities investigating the Monday shooting in the courtyard of a Mississippi county courthouse that left a criminal defendant dead said revenge was the likely motive behind the incident.

The victim, identified as Kendrick Armond Brown, was scheduled to appear in court Monday on charges of selling cocaine and conspiracy to sell cocaine. His trial on those charges was scheduled to begin later this month.

But as he waited on the courthouse grounds with his attorney, a young man drove up, climbed out of the car, and shot him once in the vest.

Police have charged William Wells, 24, as the shooter. They say he has no prior criminal record, but he did have a connection to Brown -- his mother, Sherry Wells, was expected to testify against the accused drug dealer, and she was shot and wounded in the leg Saturday night by an unknown party.

Brown hadn't been charged in Wells shooting, by Canton Police Chief Otha Brown said it is possible that William Wells believed he was responsible.

Chief Brown said Tuesday morning that investigators had yet to speak with Wells at any length.

District Attorney Michael Guest said Brown had been charged as a habitual offender, and that if he'd been convicted, he faced a lengthy prison sentence without the possibility of parole.

Instead, he was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting at about 9:05 a.m. Monday.Wells was scheduled to make an initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon.

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