PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) – A man accused in the shooting death of a Pine Bluff detective has been denied bail after a judge found there was probable cause to hold him as prosecutors prepare a capital murder charge.
Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth granted a prosecutor’s request to detain KeShone Quantarious Smith, 19, on the shooting. Detective Kevin Collins, 35, was killed and another officer, Lt. Ralph Isaac, 42, was wounded.
A third officer, Kelsey Collins, 28, was also shot, but his department-issued protective vest stopped the bullet.
Smith attempted to assert his innocence in court Wednesday morning as Bridgforth cautioned him about making any statements without attorney representation.
“There were three witnesses,” Smith declared after Bridgforth warned him that any statement he makes could further incriminate him. “All you have to do is subpoena them to court. They saw the whole thing. Three witnesses.”
During the hearing held by teleconference, the brief affidavit entered by Arkansas State Police Special Agent Randy Rawls, made no mention of witnesses at the scene.
“On Oct. 5, 2020, officers of the Pine Bluff Police Department traveled to the Econo Lodge Motel in an attempt to locate and arrest Mr. KeShone Smith, on active warrants, active felony warrants,” Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jill Reed read from the affidavit. “During the course of the arrest, KeShone Smith fired his weapon at the officers. Officers then returned fire.”
Smith had been running from law enforcement for nearly three months after being named as a suspect in a homicide in Georgia along with two other men. Authorities in Arkansas have not said whether Pine Bluff police were seeking to arrest Smith specifically because of that shooting.
Smith’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 18.
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