Judge denies bond for Knight in fatal shooting case
Defense Attorney Angela Brunicardi Doss, left, sits with Butch Wayne Knight during a bond hearing Tuesday in the court of Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton. Bond was denied for Knight who is accused of murder and attempted murder from a shooting incident last week in south Parkersburg. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
PARKERSBURG — Bond was denied for a Parkersburg man accused of murder and attempted murder in a shooting incident last week in south Parkersburg. Butch Wayne Knight appeared for a bond hearing Tuesday in the court of Wood County Circuit Judge Jason Wharton. The 18-year-old Parkersburg man is accused of shooting two people in south Parkersburg on Monday, Dec. 8, with a third potential victim who was not hit during an incident on Belmont Road. Knight has been charged with one count of first-degree murder in addition to two counts of attempted murder, upgraded from his original charges of three counts of attempted murder. The change in charges came after one of the victims, Bradi Florence, succumbed last Thursday to the injuries he sustained in the incident. “Given those charges … we would ask the court to hold him without bond,” Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said. “That is based on the severity of the things in this matter.” Lefebure said the incident occurred around Southwood Park in a residential area near Gihon Elementary School at a time when school was about to be let out. “He ultimately fired his weapon eight times striking (Florence) in the back of the head area as well as in the leg and (another victim) in the back shoulder area,” he said. “One other victim who was in the vehicle was not struck at that time.” Knight went to the area with the knowledge the victim would be there, Lefebure said, adding there was evidence Knight went there to confront Florence. Witness statements and video surveillance showed Knight was dropped off from a vehicle about a block away and walking to where the victims’ vehicle was located. “(Knight) approached from behind the vehicle,” Lefebure said. “There was a brief 10-second conversation where a few statements were being made and then (Knight) fired eight shots into that vehicle. “After he fired those eight shots, he ran and got into the vehicle he had previously gotten out of which had come around the block and then fled the scene.” Lefebure said Knight went to a location he was known to frequent on Neal Street and he was apprehended approximately eight to 10 minutes after the shots were fired. Knight allegedly took the weapon inside the residence and it was hidden before eventually being found by police, Lefebure said. Given the severity of what happened with one person succumbing to their injuries, another person being shot and a third victim who was not hit as well as the area it all occurred in, Lefebure asked Wharton for Knight to be held without bond. Defense Attorney Angela Brunicardi Doss asked for bond to be set as Knight is 18-years-old and does not have a criminal record or violent criminal history. “I would like to remind the court that there is a presumption of innocence and the state has the benefit of having access to the police report, which we don’t have at this point,” she said. “I think there are definitely questions raised about what exactly happened here.” Doss argued the defense would like Knight to be able to participate meaningfully in preparing for their case, which would be hard to do if he is incarcerated and bond is not set. “Mr. Knight is not a flight risk,” Doss said. “He grew up in this area and has ties to this area including family and friends. “He is indigent and does not have the resources to flee.” She asked for bond to be set with reasonable safeguard in place such as being put on home confinement. The severity of this event and the fact they are dealing with a first-degree murder charge led Lefebure to ask that bond be denied. Taking everything into account in this case, Wharton ruled “this defendant will be held without bond.” A preliminary hearing in this matter has been set before Wood County Magistrate Joe Kuhl for 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, in Wood County Magistrate Court.