Jail calls to be allowed in Chattanooga gang murder case

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A Chattanooga gang member charged with killing a mother in 2016 to prevent her from testifying in a murder trial was back in court Monday.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Andre Grier, who is charged with first degree murder in the death of Bianca Horton.

Horton was set to testify against Cortez Sims, who investigators say was a fellow gang member of the Athens Park Bloods, after her baby daughter Zoe was shot in a home invasion.

The prosecution asked Hamilton County Judge Boyd Patterson to allow them to play a series of jail phone calls where they allege a criminal conspiracy unfolded to silence Horton.

One such phone on August 12, 2016 was between who prosecutor Collin Campbell say was Grier and a woman named Raven Braggs.

The transcript of one brief section of that call went as follows.

Braggs: “He like to kill women, don’t he?

Grier: “I don’t know!”

Braggs: “Brother acting like he is bragging about killing Bianca. He just like—he just like.”

Grier: “Man, what are you doing! Why are you talking to me like that?”

Braggs: “Nothing.” (call ends)

Campbell added, “That’s not the entire clip. The State would continue to play it for a few more seconds. Mr. Grier tells her to get off of his line and to not talk about that (expletive), essentially.”

He says that was only one example of the intimidation tactics employed by the Athens Park Bloods.

Campbell said, “On August 16, while the defendant was in custody, he sent a kite to a fellow gang member who was actually going to be a witness in this hearing… in which he warned (the member) not to testify at a preliminary hearing which involved one of the co-defendant, Courtney High.”

High pleaded guilty last year to Horton’s murder, while a third co-defendant, Charles Shelton, died of COVID in jail.

Chattanooga Police investigator Jeremy Wimbush added during his testimony about the current status of the Athens Park Blood gang, and how it’s been affected by these series of cases, including Andre Grier’s case. 

Wimbush said, “They are pretty scattered. Alton Park Projects used to be on 38th Street which used to be Blood territory, but they are no longer there.”

Grier’s defense attorney, Kit Rogers, argued the calls require interpretations to fully understand.

Rogers said, “It’s not perfectly clear what they’re saying in those calls. I can barely understand what they are saying at all, so outside of reading a transcript it’s just not perfectly clear.”

However, the prosecution insisted the calls are necessary.

Campbell said, “I understand the stakes are very high for Mr. Grier if he’s found guilty and the jury finds there are aggravating circumstances he could possibly be put to death. But it does not change the rules of evidence, it does not change how you interpret the rules of evidence.”

Judge Patterson says he will allow for the calls to be used during the trial, scheduled in October.