Bounty Hunters Who Shot And Killed Black Man in Mistaken Identity Case Found Not Guilty

Five bounty hunters have been found not guilty in the case of a man who was mistakenly gunned down in Clarksville.

Jalen Milan, 24, was killed on April 23, 2017 when police said the bounty hunters shot at the wrong sedan.

Milan left behind three children, ages 2, 3 and 4 at the time of his death. Milan was described by family members as a class clown, a life of the party person who was a lovable guy and an awesome father.

According to the Leaf-Chronicle, only one suspect was found guilty of one charge: Joshua Young was convicted of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.

All seven bounty hunters were facing charges in the case, including murder. Two bounty hunters, Jonathan Schnepp Jr., 33, and Kenneth Chiasson, 40, took plea deals ahead of the trial.

The remaining bounty hunters, William Byles II, 32, Antwon Keesee, 33, Roger West Jr., 32, and Joshua Young, 28, and Prentice William, all stood trial.

The newspaper reported that defense attorneys argued the bounty hunters were acting in self-defense, as Milan sped off and struck some bounty hunters in the process.

According to a lawsuit, Milan was the backseat passenger in a vehicle with three other men in the parking lot of Walmart Neighborhood Market on April 23. The lawsuit said the suspects, believing that someone they were looking for was in the Milan vehicle, rushed toward the car with weapons drawn and began to break the windows. This happened “suddenly and without warning,” according to the lawsuit.

Fearing they were being attacked by gang members, the driver of the car began to drive away. That’s when the lawsuit says the suspects opened fire several times at the vehicle, striking Milan in his back and chest.

The suspects then entered their vehicle and began to chase the vehicle Milan was in for seven miles, the lawsuit said. Milan died shortly after the shooting from his injuries.

After the chase ended, the suspects apparently realized that the person they were looking for was not Milan nor anyone in that vehicle, the lawsuit says.

Not Milan nor any other occupants in the vehicle were wanted on outstanding charges and no one inside the vehicle was armed, the lawsuit said.