The Lancaster County Attorney’s Office will ask to dismiss first-degree murder charges against Jahhrasta Fletcher for a fatal shooting last September behind a downtown Lincoln strip club.
“Upon reviewing all of the investigative reports, physical evidence and digital evidence, which includes detailed forensic video analysis completed by the Lincoln Police Department, the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office does not believe there is sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Fletcher was not acting in self defense,” County Attorney Pat Condon said in a press release Thursday.
He said the decision has been shared with the family of the 33-year-old Omaha man who was killed, Robert Brannon, and his thoughts are with them.
Condon said the charging decision also would impact charges his office filed against three others, including Fletcher’s mom and brother and a friend. But it wasn’t immediately clear how.
At a press conference last September, Lincoln Police said the interaction between Fletcher, 22, and Brannon just after 12 a.m. Sept. 25, had been captured on surveillance video.
The video, depicting the alley behind the Foxy Gentlemen’s Club at 1801 O St., showed Brannon lunging at Fletcher before the 22-year-old pulled a gun and shot several rounds toward Brannon, who returned fire as he fell to the ground, Police Sgt. Kenneth Koziol said in the affidavit for Fletcher’s arrest.
In a press conference announcing Fletcher’s arrest the next day, Lincoln Police Chief Teresa Ewins said Fletcher stood over Brannon and fired another round into the Omaha man before fleeing.
Police said Brannon had been shot at least five times, with gunshot wounds to his left eye, chest, left arm and hip, according to the affidavit.
He died at the scene.
Investigators found a semiautomatic handgun beneath Brannon’s body and shell casings from two different handguns, according to the affidavit.
Police said Fletcher, who was dating one of the club’s performers, had been inside just moments before the shooting and fled after.
On Thursday, Condon said as in all criminal cases, the burden is on the state to prove each of the material elements of a crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt.
“In certain cases it is also the state’s burden to disprove an affirmative defense, such as self-defense, beyond a reasonable doubt. Ethically, to proceed forward with a charge, the prosecution must believe that it can meet this high burden of proof,” he said.
Fletcher’s public defender didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.
He remains in jail on another pending case where he’s facing gun and drug charges.