Also dismissed were charges of armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Taft had been charged with the May 30 shooting death of Eric Whittington, 50, Joplin. Skouby did not dismiss a fourth charge against Taft, endangering the welfare of a child.
The allegations against Taft were detailed in the probable cause statement filed in Newton County Circuit Court:
Witnesses on scene told us that and Joshua Taft lived at the residence listed above together. A verbal argument broke out between the two because Taft had warrants and was trying to lay low. {Whittington} continually had people coming over and Taft was worried that law enforcement would find out his location.The argument became physical and {Whittington} was on top when Taft's girlfriend hit {Whittington}with a cast iron skillet in the face. then went to his truck and got a machete, before starting back toward the house.
{Whittington} took cover behind the wall just west of the front door and he peeked through the doorway a couple of times. Taft was given a pistol from his girlfriend and he fired two shots in the direction of {Whittington}.
One shot went through a glass panel in the front door and one shot went through the wall of the house and exited through the vinyl siding.
{Redacted}'s seven year old stepson said that he was trying to keep from going back into the house when he heard the bullets whiz over his head.
9 comments:
Why were the Charges dropped ? Something fishy about all that. How many months before we hear this name again involved in another incident? Ridiculous
Because the dead guy had an 18 inch knife/machete that he retrieved from his truck and threatened the shooter with it! Threaten someone with a machete, then you get shot. Pretty simple case of self defense.
Pretty sure you read that wrong...tafts girlfriend went and got the machetes...not Whittington. He hid.
Again, Soft on Crime. Judge Jacob Skouby and the rest of the Scooby-Doo, cartoon Judges in Newton and Jasper County, need to Stop letting these Criminals back on the streets to be a menace to Society.
He shoots a guy, should be murder charges, has outstanding warrants, probably was a felon with a gun, which should be a Federal Charge, and Scooby-Doo lets him walk. What a Crock of Shiz, this guy is a persistent offender, what does he have to do to be put in jail or is he related to Skouby?
The argument became physical and {Whittington} was on top when Taft's girlfriend hit {Whittington}with a cast iron skillet in the face. then went to his truck and got a machete, before starting back toward the house.
It’s not written well but I assume he went to his truck for the machete,
I assume he went after machete after being hit with pan
but I don’t honestly know
Randy do you have any more information about this?
The way I read it the gf went to the truck and got the machete and gave it to shooter while Whittington hid behind the door. Now I'm not sure after all the comments
Upon rereading it does appear that Whittington went to his truck and retrieved a machete and was peaking through the door and Tafts GF gave Taft a gun which he fired toward Whittington
You need to contact the Prosecutors office and ask why They dropped the charges???? And decided not to refile the charges!!!!
He is a repeat offender!!!! The whole issue was HE WAS HIDING FROM THE COPS! Was already not allowed to be around guns and killed someone!!! Endangered a child and ran from the police again!!! He is a MURDERER!!!! THE POOR WHITTINGTON FAMILY AND THE CHILD THAT WAS INVOLVED!!!
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