Cowart Street fatal shooting case sent to Grand Jury

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – After hearing from two witnesses, a Hamilton County judge found probable cause and sent Roddarius Martin’s case to the Grand Jury.‬

‪Martin  is accused of a shooting on Cowart Street, outside of Coyote Jacks, in December. Sharone Porter was killed and his brother Torrie Porter was injured.

On Tuesday, Martin had his preliminary hearing where a witness and a homicide detective testified. The witness reports seeing Martin fire a gun into the air, and shooting at Torrie.

“Were you struck?” asked prosecutor Kevin Brown.

“No,” the witness said.

“Was Torrie struck?” Brown asked.

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“The knee,” the witness said.

Bill Speek, Martin’s attorney, says that doesn’t mean Martin killed Sharone.

“I think those are defensive warning shots. I don’t see any reason whatsoever that Mr. Martin would have to shoot at Sharone Porter. They were friends. They knew each other from Miles College,” Speek said.

The witness did not see who shot Sharone.

“I ran back towards my car and that is when I saw Ronie laying on the ground. I dropped Torrie and ran to Ronie.”

Speek believes there was another shooter.

The gun used in the shooting has not yet been found.