Charges reduced for suspect in baseball bat assault

JACKSON, Tenn. — A man accused of beating another man with a baseball bat at an Old Hickory Boulevard apartment complex returned to court Thursday.

Christopher Lee, 23, was charged with attempted first-degree murder and especially aggravated robbery.

The victim of the assault, Damion Maxwell, testified during a preliminary hearing that the assault happened because Maxwell had sent messages to Lee’s girlfriend on Facebook.

During an interview with police, investigators say Lee admitted to assaulting Maxwell with a baseball bat. In court, Jackson Police Department Sgt. Nick Donald testified that Lee said he had the bat with him because he knew Maxwell carried a pocketknife.

“I hit him with the bat and Damion pushed me. Damion ran towards the parking lot, and I chased him and hit him more times with the bat. I only remember hitting him around eight or nine times,” Donald said, reading Lee’s statement in court.

Lee also told investigators that he has “anger issues,” according to his statement to investigators.

Jackson City Court Judge Blake Anderson reduced Lee’s charges to aggravated assault and theft of property before sending the case to the Madison County grand jury. Lee’s bond was also reduced to $25,000.