TERRE HAUTE —
A fight broke out Tuesday afternoon in Vigo Superior Court 6 after an exchange of words between people attending the initial hearing of a Indianapolis man accused of murder in the Friday death of a Terre Haute man.
William Mallory, 21, appeared via video from the Vigo County Jail for the hearing, and was not physically present in the courtroom. However, several members of his family saw Mallory on video and witnessed the hearing, along with family members of shooting victims. Mallory made no statement to the court.
Judge Michael Lewis read the six formal charges filed against Mallory in connection with a fatal shooting near the Ballyhoo Tavern at Ninth and Chestnut streets early Friday. Killed was Dustin Kelly, 24, of Terre Haute. Injured were Dante Pettus and Terrance Trotter, both 21.
Mallory was charged with felony murder, two counts of class-A felony attempted murder, two counts of class-B felony aggravated battery, and carrying a handgun without a license, a class-A misdemeanor. Mallory allegedly shot all three men with a Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun. Trotter was shot in the hip, while Pettus was shot in the torso.
At the conclusion of the hearing, angry words were exchanged among the groups inside the gallery of the courtroom, and a fight broke out as people wrestled and were pushed to the floor.
“The victim’s family. The defendant’s family. All in the same courtroom. Tension is just high, you know,” Lt. Edward Tompkins said of the drama.
One person was heard yelling that the shooting was the result of conflict over a woman at the tavern. At least one of the gallery chairs was thrown toward the scuffling audience.
Judge Lewis had requested more security in the courtroom before the hearing, and Tompkins was among more than a dozen Terre Haute Police officers and Vigo County sheriff’s deputies already inside the courtroom in anticipation of conflict among the audience.
“We got word that there were some problems before court started,” Tompkins said. “We had to stop that.”
Lewis exited the bench as the scuffle began and dialed 911 from the court office to request additional police assistance in the courthouse. The panic alarm system inside the courthouse — which allows employees to summon police when a disturbance breaks out — is not fully functional.
Police in the courtroom sent members of the victims’ families into the hallway outside the courtroom and later escorted them out of the building. Subsequent scuffles broke out on the courthouse lawn, but police said no serious injuries were reported.
The defendant’s family members were kept inside the courtroom for about 30 minutes until disturbances outside the building were dispersed. Two women who scuffled with police were arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting law enforcement. (See related story.)
Inside the courtroom, two men were handcuffed and held for security. They were later released by police. Tompkins said the defendant’s family members were escorted by police to Interstate 70 so they could return to Indianapolis.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Rob Roberts told the Tribune-Star that criminal charges could be filed against those involved in the disturbance in the courtroom.
Updates on the medical conditions of Pettus and Trotter were not available on Tuesday.
Mallory is scheduled to return to court the week of Sept. 10 for appointment of a public defender and the setting of trial dates. He is being held in the Vigo County Jail with no bail set.
Reporter Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @TribStarLisa. Additional reporting contributed by Reporter Arthur Foulkes.
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Related Photos
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Restrained: Brandon Brown, brother of shooting victim Dustin Kelly, is restrained by law enforcement officers in the Vigo County courthouse. He was at a hearing for alleged shooter William Mallory. (Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis)
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Running high: Emotions ran high Tuesday afternoon in the Vigo County courthouse. Family members and friends helped keep each other in check at the hearing for alleged shooter William Mallory, accused of shooting Dustin Kelly, Dante Pettus and Terrance Trotter.
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Understanding: Terre Haute police Lt. Ed Tompkins talks with Brandon Brown, brother of shooting victim Dustin Kelly. Brown had to be removed from the Vigo County Division 6 courtroom during a hearing for William Mallory, the alleged shooter of Kelly and two of Kelly’s friends.
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