Coroner's jury rules homicide in Venice shooting - My Web Times

Coroner's jury rules homicide in Venice shooting

11/19/2009, 9:45 am  
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EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — The Madison County coroner's jury and the county grand jury can't seem to agree on a 24-year-old Granite City man's shooting death.

On Wednesday, the coroner's jury declared the death of Chaunci Dukes a homicide, but a suspect has been charged only with aggravated unlawful use of weapons because the grand jury considers it a case of self-defense.

Dukes was shot to death on Sept. 5 in Venice. The suspect is 24-year-old Diron Pinnix, who has several addresses that connect him to Venice, Alton and St. Louis.

Pinnix was originally charged with first-degree murder, and was held without bail.

But when the case went to the grand jury, they determined there was not enough evidence to charge Pinnix with first-degree murder.

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