Murder suspect charged with attempted murder in prison attack | News, Sports, Jobs

MINOT POLICE DEPARTMENT – MEDIA INFORMATION FORM

A murder suspect awaiting trial at the Ward County Detention Center has been charged with five felony counts, including attempted murder, after allegedly attacking another inmate with an improvised weapon on August 15.

In less than 30 days, Kamauri Kennedy, 35, faces a jury trial for the 2021 murder of Domonique Kelley, 33, in Minot. However, Kennedy made his first appearance in North Central District Court on Friday to face a slew of new charges following an attack in jail.

Kennedy's first appearance on the new charges was originally scheduled for Monday, but was postponed several times because Kennedy refused to appear.

According to court documents, Kennedy filed a motion to defend an indigent person on Tuesday and the Ward County prosecutor requested a subpoena for trial. Kennedy's motion was approved on Wednesday. The subpoena, which compels a defendant to appear by reasonable force, was signed by Judge Todd Cresap on Thursday.

According to court records, Kennedy was charged with attempted murder (a Class A felony), two counts of prohibited acts (a Class B felony), aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, and tampering with evidence (all Class C felonies).

According to the probable cause affidavit, a Ward County Sheriff's deputy was called to the Ward County Jail on Thursday evening for what they said was a fight between two inmates. When they arrived, they found an inmate in the booking area lying on the floor bleeding heavily and being treated by jail staff and emergency responders. Jail staff told the deputy that a fight had occurred between the injured inmate, identified as John Doe, and Kennedy, which left Doe with multiple stab wounds to his arms and the back of his head.

The deputy attempted to question Kennedy about the incident, but Kennedy stated he would not comment on what happened between the two. Doe was interviewed at a Minot hospital after being treated for his injuries. He said Kennedy attacked him for no reason while he was watching television in the day room. Doe said he raised his hands above his head to protect himself and tried to pursue Kennedy to the second floor of the housing unit before noticing he was bleeding profusely. A review of jail camera footage showed Kennedy struck Doe approximately 10 times.

Kennedy was the only occupant of the cell in the block he shared with Doe, and prison maintenance staff were able to find an improvised weapon in the cleanout chute of the toilet in the cell. Court documents describe the improvised weapon as a curved, 5-inch-long piece of sharp metal wrapped in a brown cloth.

A subsequent search of Kennedy's cell revealed two metal rods and a foot-long piece of fiberglass that had apparently been forcibly removed from the cell window. One of the pieces of fiberglass had duct tape wrapped around it to serve as a handle to make a weapon out of it.

According to court documents, prison officials found messages Kennedy had sent to another person on a prison texting device before and after the attack. In the messages, Kennedy allegedly said he was about to “Money” Doe and his brother, who shared a cell on the same block as Kennedy. Jmoney was a Chicago-area rapper who was murdered in 2013. After the attack, Kennedy sent a message saying: “J Money successful.”

A jury was empaneled for Kennedy's 2021 murder trial on April 3, but the session was adjourned and postponed after new DNA evidence was discovered the week of the trial to give the State Crime Lab more time to fully analyze it. The trial is scheduled for eight days, beginning with the selection of a new jury on Wednesday, September 18, and ending on Tuesday, September 27.