In the festive aftermath of a Mardi Gras parade in Pass Christian, Mississippi, on February 7, 2016, a burst of gunfire shattered the celebratory atmosphere, leaving two men dead and four others wounded. One of the men who lost his life was Isiah Major III, a 43-year-old male from Bay St. Louis. The other fatality was identified as 29-year-old Carlos Dewayne Bates of Gulfport. The shooting occurred just two blocks from the parade route, shortly after the conclusion of the St.
Paul Carnival Association's annual parade, which had drawn an estimated 50,000 people.
The violence erupted from a confrontation that had nothing to do with Major or Bates, who were simply bystanders caught in the crossfire. An investigation revealed that Malcolm Dedeaux and three armed friends sought out another man, Charles Johnson, at an intersection near Davis Avenue. Dedeaux reportedly believed Johnson had fired a shot at his family's home earlier that day. When the two groups confronted each other, an exchange of gunfire ensued, sending parade-goers running for cover. Both Major and Bates were fatally wounded in the shootout.
In the wake of the deadly shooting, authorities launched an investigation that led to the arrests of those responsible. Malcolm Dedeaux, then 24, ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter. A Harrison County Circuit Court judge sentenced him to 40 years in prison, with the 20-year sentences for each count to be served consecutively. During the sentencing, the judge remarked on the fear Dedeaux's actions had instilled in the community, potentially deterring people from attending future Mardi Gras parades in the city.
Another man, Jessie Lee Williams Jr., also 24 at the time, was implicated in the shooting. He too pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter for his role in the deaths of the two innocent men. Williams received a 20-year prison sentence for his involvement in the tragic events that unfolded after the parade. The resolution of the case brought a measure of justice for the senseless deaths of Isiah Major III and Carlos Bates, whose lives were cut short by a dispute in which they played no part.
