Two men accused of shooting a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper during a July traffic stop have both pleaded not guilty.
Timothy Laquan Davis Jr., 25, of Nashville, and Braze Roland Rucker, 29, of Nashville, appeared in Putnam County Criminal Court Thursday to be arraigned on the charges. Public Defender Craig Fickling is representing Davis, while attorney Ramon Damas was appointed by Judge Shawn Fry to represent Rucker.
The duo are charged in connection to the shooting of Trooper Adam Cothron during a traffic stop in Cookeville July 19. According to arrest records, Davis, who was the driver of the vehicle the two were traveling in, allegedly shot Cothron through the passenger side window as the trooper approached the vehicle. Cothron was struck in the neck and seriously injured. After several months of recovery in Atlanta, Cothron returned home to Trousdale County in October.
Following the incident, authorities say Davis and Rucker fled the scene, and their vehicle was later found in Sumner County. Rucker was apprehended by the Kentucky State Police July 21. Davis was arrested in Nashville the following day.
While Thursday's arraignment was a mostly routine matter, Fry did ask Rucker to refrain from sending him letters arguing his case.
"You need to go through your attorney," Fry said. "If you send things to me, they go on the public record and can be used against you."
Davis and Rucker were both indicted by the Putnam County Grand Jury on counts of attempted first degree murder, possession of a firearm with the intent to commit a dangerous felony, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and theft of property. Rucker was initially charged with facilitation of a felony, however court records show that he was not indicted on that charge.
Davis is being held on a $3.4 million bond. Rucker's bond is $1.4 million.
