In a tragic case of mistaken identity, 24-year-old Jalen Johnson-Milan, a Black male from Clarksville, Tennessee, was fatally shot on April 23, 2017. The father of three was in a vehicle with friends in the parking lot of a Walmart Neighborhood Market when they were confronted by a group of bounty hunters. The bounty hunters were seeking a fugitive and wrongfully targeted the vehicle Johnson-Milan was in.
The encounter quickly escalated, leading to a seven-mile chase during which the bounty hunters fired at the vehicle. Johnson-Milan was struck by the gunfire and later died from his injuries. Another occupant of the vehicle was also wounded but survived. Authorities later confirmed that neither Johnson-Milan nor his friends had any outstanding warrants, and no firearms were found in their vehicle.
Seven men, identified as bounty hunters and bail bondsmen, were arrested and indicted on 16 charges each, including first-degree felony murder, attempted second-degree murder, and especially aggravated kidnapping. The suspects were identified as William Byles II, Antwon Keesee, Roger West Jr., Joshua Young, Prentice Williams, Jonathan Schnepp Jr., and Kenneth Chiasson.
Before the trial of the five main defendants, Jonathan Schnepp Jr. and Kenneth Chiasson reached plea deals with prosecutors. Schnepp pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault in exchange for his testimony against the others, and his more severe charges were dismissed. Chiasson's charges were to be retired in exchange for his truthful testimony.
In August 2019, the remaining five defendants—Byles, Keesee, West, Young, and Williams—were acquitted of the most serious charges, including murder. The jury found Joshua Young guilty of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, for which he was sentenced to 18 months of probation. Following the acquittals, Jonathan Schnepp was permitted to withdraw his guilty plea, and his case was dismissed. The family of Jalen Johnson-Milan expressed their profound disappointment and grief over the legal outcomes and have continued to advocate for justice in his name.
