STARKVILLE — Two men suspected of shooting a man last year on North Montgomery Street are facing new charges in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court.
Kenyon Cannon, aka “Smoke,” and Roderick Franklin, aka “Bam Bam,” were facing aggravated assault charges for the Oct. 30 shooting in the 800 block of North Montgomery Street, but each are now charged with armed robbery instead.
Assistant District Attorney Charlie Hedgepeth said the change came because the suspects allegedly took an undisclosed amount of money from the victim, who was shot several times in the head, neck and shoulder area, but survived. The change in charges also came as a result of sentencing guidelines, he said.
An aggravated assault charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, while armed robbery carries a minimum of three years and a maximum of life in prison, Hedgepeth said.
“When you have two charges and (the crime) fits both, you go for the one with the longer sentence,” Hedgepeth said.
The pair, who are half-brothers, are not scheduled for trial during the current Circuit Court term. It is unclear when their cases will go to trial.
After the shooting, Cannon and Franklin fled the area. Cannon was arrested March 8 in New Orleans by U.S. Marshals and the New Orleans Police Department. U.S. Marshals and the NOPD arrested Franklin in New Orleans on March 16.
Days after the shooting, three of the suspects” family members were arrested for withholding information about their whereabouts.
James W. Cannon is the father of both suspects and was charged by Starkville police with obstruction of justice.
Wallace C. Cannon, who is the full brother of Kenyon Cannon and the half-brother of Franklin, also was charged with obstruction of justice.
Shanquinna Renee Hollingshed is Franklin”s wife and was charged with possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana after police discovered it while running a search warrant on her home in the hunt for Franklin, Garnett said.
Other cases
In other Circuit Court business Wednesday, a Starkville man was sentenced to a combined 16 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections for four counts of burglary of a dwelling. Four additional counts were retired.
Judge Jim Kitchens sentenced Robert Tate to 25 years for one count of burglary of a dwelling, but suspended all but four years. Three other counts of burglary of a dwelling netted Tate four years each. Tate also must pay $5,775 in restitution and faces five years of post-release supervision.
Kitchens sentenced Bobby Hutchinson to 10 years in the MDOC for grand larceny, but suspended the sentence and ordered Hutchinson on probation for five years. He also must pay $1,328.47 in restitution and a $250 fine. Two additional counts were retired.
Judge Lee Howard on Tuesday sentenced Eric Bell, who was deemed a habitual offender, to 10 years in the MDOC without the possibility of parole or early release for one count of uttering forgery. Bell also must pay a $10,000 fine and court costs upon his release.
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