Man, 27, acquitted in 'castle doctrine' killing

A jury acquitted a Texarkana man Friday in a murder case the defense argued was self-defense under the Texas "castle doctrine."

Kavante Lamarr Wright, 27, was also acquitted on a lesser charge of manslaughter.

In his closing remarks, Texarkana lawyer Shorty Barrett argued that under Texas law, Wright had a right to shoot and kill Eric Gentry if he believed his life was in danger in his own home. Authorities said in March 2020, when the fatal shooting occurred, that Eric Gentry, 35, was a Texarkana, Ark., resident.

Prosecutors argued that Wright was drunk and physically aggressive toward Echo Gentry. At the time, Wright was living with Gentry and her children in an apartment in the Rosehill Ridge complex on Stuckey Street in Texarkana, Texas.

Kavante Wright had invited Eric Gentry, a barber school student and his girlfriend's twin, to come over and cut his hair, his nephews' hair and Echo Gentry's children's hair. Eric Wright brought his first cousin, Mario Cornilius, with him to the apartment.

Witnesses testified that Echo Gentry and Wright were arguing "over alcohol" and that Wright was being physically aggressive toward her. Wright retrieved a 9mm pistol from his bedroom and began carrying it in his pocket. The state called several witnesses, including Echo Gentry, who testified that Wright becomes assaultive toward women when intoxicated.

Eric Gentry asked Cornilius if he had a gun in his truck and that the two went outside, witnesses said. Cornilius said he repeatedly asked Eric Gentry to leave but Eric Gentry wanted to go back inside.

Cornilius testified that there was no gun and that Eric Gentry said he didn't want to leave his sister and children in the apartment with Wright. Barrett argued that when Eric Gentry came back in the apartment, Wright believed he had a gun.

First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp and Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards told the Bowie County, Texas, jury that under the law, jurors must consider what a "reasonable and prudent" person would do given the same circumstances.

Barrett argued that, "if Kavante had waited until he saw a gun it could have been too late. You don't wait until you're staring down the barrel of a gun."

Crisp and Richards argued that Wright knew Eric Gentry didn't have a gun and was engaged in criminal conduct. If a person is engaged in criminal conduct, castle doctrine statutes don't apply, the prosecutors argued.

The prosecution argued that Wright was engaged in domestic violence with Echo Gentry and had committed deadly conduct when he fired a shot outside the apartment.

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