Mistrial declared in Kameron Williams murder case

VICKSBURG, Miss.(VDN)— A mistrial was declared Wednesday in the case of Kameron Williams, who was charged with the 2023 murder of Dapeytric Coleman.

The jury began deliberations at 9:30 a.m. but was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. Judge James Chaney subsequently declared a mistrial.

The three-day trial centered around the allegation that Williams shot and killed Coleman on Martha Street following a dispute over a basketball game. Prosecutors said Williams fired multiple shots from a handgun, five of which struck Coleman in the back. Three of those bullets exited his body, according to evidence presented in court. The incident was captured on a city surveillance camera.

Testimony indicated that the confrontation began after Williams and Coleman placed bets on a basketball game. According to witnesses, including mutual friend Johnathan Phelps, Coleman began trash-talking Williams, which led to a heated 10-minute argument. Friends at the scene reportedly tried several times to de-escalate the situation.

Prosecutors Michael Warren and Branan Southerland said Williams left the scene during the argument, retrieved a handgun from a vehicle, and returned to the basketball court armed. They said that Coleman then grabbed a gun from a friend’s hip before being shot in the back by Williams.

Although Williams was also shot in the foot during the altercation, Southerland challenged the defense’s claims of self-defense. During cross-examination, he questioned how Coleman could have fired first if he was struck multiple times in the back while facing away.

Several officers with the Vicksburg Police Department who responded to the scene testified during the trial, including Jalen Glass, Nick Carson, Daniel Harris and Eddie Colbert.

Glass testified that Coleman was unresponsive upon his arrival. Harris reviewed crime scene evidence, including shell casings and the location of the body, while Carson and Colbert discussed the case’s logistics.

Video of the shooting was played several times in court. Some witnesses claimed Coleman had threatened to slap Williams with money, which the prosecution argued was typical trash talk common in competitive sports.

Additional evidence presented indicated that while VPD officers responded to the Martha Street shooting, a second call came in reporting that someone had been shot in the foot—later identified as Williams.

Defense attorney Eugene Pierre maintained that Williams acted in self-defense. On Tuesday afternoon, Williams testified in his own defense, claiming Coleman fired the first shot.

With the jury unable to reach a verdict, a mistrial was declared. Williams may still face a retrial.