First hearing held for Kansas City man charged in Jefferson City bar shooting
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Kansas City man accused of murdering two people inside a Jefferson City bar early Saturday was denied bond in his first court appearance Monday.
Damien Davis, 35, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and illegal gun possession in the shooting death of 26-year-old Skylar Smock and 43-year-old Corey Thames.
Davis told Judge Christopher Limbaugh over a video link that "I was saving my life" when Limbaugh began reading off the list of charges he is facing.
Davis is due back in court Dec. 5 at 1:30 p.m for a bond review hearing and to check on his progress of getting a lawyer.
According to court documents, the two were shot inside J. Pfenny's Sports Grill and Pub just before 1 a.m Saturday. Police determined the shooting resulted from a fight. Smock, who was an employee at the bar tried to break up the fight and remove Thames from the business when Davis started firing shots, according to investigators.
Police say Davis admitted to firing shots at Thames but says he unintentionally shot Smock.
Davis has prior charges that prohibit him from having a gun, according to online court records. He remained in the Cole County Jail on Monday afternoon.
The families of the victims have set up Go Fund Me pages to cover the funeral expenses for the two victims.
