Memorial Day shooting victim changes story; charges against accused gunman dropped

JACKSON, Tenn. — An attempted first-degree murder charge is thrown out Thursday after a victim recants statements given to police.

David Travis appears for a Thursday hearing.

David Travis was charged in a Memorial Day shooting off East College Street after a man was shot in the lower abdomen.

The victim, Antonio Clark, took the stand in a Thursday hearing but wouldn’t say it was Travis who pulled the trigger last month, which he had previously testified to police.

Prosecutors said Clark was shown a lineup at the hospital after he’d been shot in the lower abdomen and identified Travis as the shooter, but while on the stand his story changed.

Travis’ attorney says he’s glad the truth came out.

“Lots of times when witnesses get on the stand under cross examination, the real truth comes out,” Mark Donahoe, Travis’ attorney, said. “And this witness said that contrary to what he may have said before. He could not identify David Travis as the shooter in this case.

Anthony Clark, who was shot in the abdomen on Memorial Day, recants his previous testimony during a Thursday hearing. He was later arrested on aggravated perjury charges.

As for Clark, immediately after the hearing he was arrested on aggravated perjury charges.

He is expected to make his first court appearance Friday morning.

We’ll have more on this development on WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News at 5 and 6.