On the early morning of March 3, 2016, a tragedy unfolded in the historic Soulard neighborhood of Saint Louis, Missouri. Jarrett Sorrell Greene, a 37-year-old male, was found suffering from fatal gunshot wounds in a parking lot near Molly's, a popular local bar and restaurant. The incident occurred around 1:40 a.m. following a late-night dispute that rapidly escalated into violence.
Reports indicated that the altercation began over a disagreement regarding a potential ride home for Greene, who was intoxicated at the time. The confrontation ended when Greene was shot multiple times, including wounds to the back of his head, leading to his untimely death.
Investigators identified Christopher Endicott as the suspect responsible for the shooting. Endicott did not deny firing the shots but maintained that his actions were taken in self-defense. The defense team alleged that prior to the shooting, Greene had brandished an unloaded weapon and made verbal threats, which prompted Endicott to use lethal force to protect himself. This claim of self-defense became the central point of contention throughout the investigation and the lengthy legal battle that ensued.
The judicial process proved to be complex and prolonged, spanning several years and multiple courtrooms. Endicott first stood trial in early 2018, but the proceedings ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. A second trial was held later that same year, resulting in a conviction. The jury found Endicott guilty of the charges, and he was subsequently sentenced to twenty-five years in prison. However, this was not the end of the legal saga. In 2020, the Missouri Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, ruling that the trial judge had committed a plain error by failing to properly instruct the jury regarding the laws of self-defense.
The case returned to the courtroom for a third time in November 2022. With a new defense attorney and a strategy that included additional witnesses to support the self-defense claim, Endicott faced a new jury. After reviewing the evidence and the revised arguments, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, acquitting Endicott of the murder charges. The decision brought a definitive close to the criminal proceedings, more than six years after Jarrett Greene lost his life in the Soulard parking lot.
