2 face murder charges in Columbus man’s beating in dispute over street basketball game
Two suspects already arrested for assault now are charged with murder in the death of a north Columbus man severely beaten Feb. 13 during a dispute over kids playing basketball in the street.
Darnel Lamar Piett, 25, and Cadirus L. Walker, 24, initially were charged with aggravated assault in the beating of Danny Jones, who lingered in the hospital on life support until his death Feb. 21 at age 62.
Detectives added murder charges after receiving an autopsy report, dated July 20, showed Jones died of complications from blunt-force injuries to his head and neck, authorities said.
Jones, who lived on Wimbush Court off Weems Road, was driving home on Charter Oaks Circle when he came upon the children playing basketball, and berated them about blocking the street, police said.
After Piett heard what happened, he went to Jones’ home around 5 p.m. and assaulted him, with Walker joining in, investigators said.
Jones was hospitalized in intensive care with a fractured neck, Muscogee County Coroner Bryan said Feb. 21, after Jones was taken off life support and died at 2:46 p.m. at Piedmont Columbus Regional.
‘Mercilessly beaten’
During a May 7 bond hearing for the suspects, Jones’ brother Anzy Waylan Jones said he witnessed the attack.
“He was brutally and mercilessly beaten to death at our front door in front of my eyes by the defendants in this case, Darnel Piett and Cadirus Walker,” the brother testified.
Danny Jones could communicate “only with a series of eye blinks” as he lay dying in the hospital, the brother said: “To this day and from now on, I will always wonder if he really did understand me when I told him how much I loved him.”
Danny Jones’ sister, Lucy Bailey, said her brother had two children and a granddaughter, and worked at TSYS, where he looked forward to retirement.
As he lay paralyzed, “I believe he suffered unimaginable pain, fear and anxiety,” she said. “No one deserves to go through this.”
Besides aggravated assault, Piett initially was charged with aggravated battery and with the misdemeanors of criminal trespass and battery with visible harm. Walker likewise was charged with aggravated assault and the two misdemeanors, but not with aggravated battery.
Columbus attorney Stacey Jackson, who represents Walker, said the two suspects are half-brothers. Walker was able to bond out of jail, after his initial charges, but was arrested again at his home Wednesday, when police served the warrant for murder, Jackson said. Piett still was in jail, he said.
Both now are being held without bond. Walker had a preliminary hearing Friday morning in Columbus Recorder’s Court, and Piett is to have one Monday, Jackson said.
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 12:55 PM.