Tennessee murder trial involving the death of fifteen-year-old standout football player
Zaevion Dobson begins Tuesday. Prosecutors say he was gunned down in a mistaken case of gang retaliation during a string of shootings in December 2015.
Three men face charges for Dobson’s death. Richard Williams III, Christopher Bassett, Jr., and Kipling Deshawn Colbert, Jr., each of whom were 21 when arrested, each face first-degree murder charges regarding Dobson’s death. They also each face attempted first-degree murder charges for opening fire on a group of people who were with Dobson on a back porch. The men further face a lengthy list of various weapons-related charges.
Police say Dobson and eight friends were hanging out on the back porch of one of the friend’s aunt’s house. They saw a group of men walk up and stop. As the friends wondered who the men were, at least one of the men opened fire, they told the police. Dobson died while protecting Faith Gordon, 17, and Kiara Rucker, 16. Dobson’s older brother, Zack, was among those who survived the shooting.