A 23-year-old man is currently behind bars for murder in a fatal shooting in 2022 during a custody swap at a Bessemer park.
Jerrius Deontez Hickley of Birmingham was booked into the Jefferson County Jail earlier this week.
Hickley is charged with the September 11, 2022 shooting of 29-year-old Christopher Lamar Tanks.
He was initially arrested last year, but the case was dismissed due to a clerical error. Although the warrant was quickly reissued, Hickley was not arrested again.
The case was called for a preliminary hearing at the Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff this week. The hearing continued to allow Hickley’s attorney ample time to prepare, the filings show. However, the court found that Hickley was not in custody, despite being charged with capital murder.
District Judge Thomas Thrash Sr. ordered Hickley’s immediate incarceration. Hickley is now being held without bond.
The fatal shooting occurred at McNeil Park in the township of Bessemer’s Pipe Shop last fall. It was around 1 p.m. that Sunday when police said a mother and her boyfriend – Tanks – met with the child’s father and his brother – Hickley – to swap custody. A quarrel ensued.
The shots were fired by Tanks, the child’s father, and Hickley, the child’s uncle, police said.
Both Tanks and the child’s father were injured. They were taken to UAB hospital in Birmingham, where Tanks was pronounced dead.
The child’s father was seriously injured but survived.
Court records show the charges are high because Tank’s own child was also present at the time of his murder.
A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for June 26.
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