TWO MEN INDICTED FOR SECOND-DEGREE MURDER FOLLOWING ROANE COUNTY ALTERCATION
By Dudley Evans –
Two Roane County men are facing second-degree murder charges following a grand jury indictment for the May 8 death of 53-year-old Cecil Baptiste.
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The Incident: Harriman police responded to a fight in the parking lot of a South Roane Street strip mall, where Allen Copley (50) and Charles Sargent (48) reportedly stepped in to break up a heated argument between Baptiste and a woman.
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The Allegations: Investigators state that Copley placed Baptiste in a chokehold and brought him to the ground, while Sargent allegedly struck him multiple times.
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The Outcome: Baptiste was found unconscious by officers and transported to a hospital, later passing away on May 18 at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Copley and Sargent, who were initially charged with aggravated assault, face upgraded charges of second-degree murder following an autopsy and grand jury indictment. Both are currently being held on bond as the legal proceedings continue.
