Dashonn Hayes, an 18-year-old accused of killing his younger brother with a shotgun blast to the neck, has been indicted in DeKalb County on a single count of involuntary manslaughter.
Police had initially charged him with murder in the death of 17-year-old Corinthian Hayes, though the suspect’s attorney maintained it was an accident. The indictment, filed last week, says the older brother shot Corinthian while “passing” him the gun.
Defense attorney Steve Cowan has said the brothers were both shooting guns at a home near I-285 and Avondale Estates on Dec. 20 before Dashonn’s went off. There were no other adults at the home when the shooting occurred.
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“It’s my position, the client’s position and the family’s position that this was a horrible, tragic accident,” Cowan told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in the days after the shooting. “I don’t think the court would’ve granted a bond if the court thought it was anything more than an accident.”
Judge Clarence Seeliger granted Dashonn Hayes a bond of $50,000 in January, and he’s been out of jail since.
He has an arrangement scheduled for Oct. 2.
On the single charge, he faces between one and 10 years.
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