In the early hours of a Friday morning, on June 22, 2018, the life of 39-year-old Errol Lyons, an African American man, was tragically cut short in Smyrna, Tennessee. Gunfire erupted outside of Sullivan's Sports Bar, and when police responded to the scene at approximately 1:00 a.m., they discovered Lyons unconscious in the parking lot. Emergency medical services were dispatched, and he was quickly transported to StoneCrest Medical Center. Despite their efforts, Lyons succumbed to his injuries shortly after his arrival at the hospital.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to a suspect, Marcus Jerome Brown, who was 37 years old at the time. Brown was located and taken into custody in Murfreesboro without incident. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Errol Lyons. In addition to the murder charge, Brown faced several other serious offenses, including two counts of aggravated assault, employing a weapon during the commission of a felony, tampering with evidence, and resisting arrest.
Following his arrest, Marcus Jerome Brown was held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. His trial was scheduled to take place in the Rutherford County Circuit Courts on June 6th. The case brought to light concerns about the security measures in place at the sports bar where the fatal shooting occurred. The family of Errol Lyons sought legal counsel to explore the possibility of negligent security contributing to his death, aiming to hold all responsible parties accountable.
