Charges against a Martinsville man charged in connection with a shooting incident were dropped after a information allegedly changed, according to the Martinsville Police Department.
Several charges had been issued for Donte Cheron Freeman, 39, of Preston Scales Drive, Martinsville, in connection with an alleged Nov. 7 incident on Dunlap Street.
Officers responding to the scene found Johnny Omar Spencer, Jr., 39, of Martinsville, suffering from a gunshot wound. Spencer was transported to SOVAH Martinsville and later transferred to Carilion Roanoke Memorial where he was treated for his injuries.
“It is extremely disappointing and harmful to the criminal justice system as a whole when victims and/or witnesses are insistent on the events of an incident and the physical evidence corroborates those statements, only to have” those involved “change their position and become uncooperative,” city authorities said in a release.
“I believe that our investigators did an excellent job at preparing a case in which probable cause was clearly established and verified by an independent magistrate,” the release stated.
However, because statements allegedly were recanted, “there is little we can do for the case to proceed without new or additional evidence. Our investigators will continue to look for additional information in the case, if it exists,” city authorities wrote.
