In the early hours of Labor Day, September 4, 2023, a tragedy unfolded on East Jackson Street in Dublin, Georgia. Richard Collins, a 29-year-old man, was leaving a party near the ACES Lounge when gunfire erupted. Collins, a father of nine who was remembered by his family as a loving and hardworking man with a flair for fashion, was struck by a bullet and died from his injuries. His mother later said she believes her son was an innocent bystander, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time as he walked to his car. Three other individuals were also wounded in the shooting.
The Dublin Police Department requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to handle the homicide case. The investigation moved swiftly, and within a week, authorities had identified three suspects. On September 11, 2023, police arrested 32-year-old Roshoun Jenkins and 32-year-old Ira Dale Munn, both from Dublin. The next day, 30-year-old Dominique Tucker, also of Dublin, was taken into custody. Jenkins was charged with felony murder and four counts of aggravated assault. Munn and Tucker faced charges of felony murder, armed robbery, and multiple counts of aggravated assault.
The path to justice for Richard Collins's family proved to be a long and arduous one, particularly in the case against Roshoun Jenkins. His first two trials ended in mistrials after the juries failed to reach a unanimous verdict. During his second trial, Jenkins was acquitted of malice murder and four counts of aggravated assault, but the jury was deadlocked on the charges of felony murder and two other counts of aggravated assault. The legal battle continued, with Jenkins's defense attorneys arguing that his constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated. The matter was even set to be heard by the Georgia Supreme Court, which would decide whether to dismiss the remaining charges or allow prosecutors to pursue a third trial, leaving a grieving family waiting for a resolution.
