First court date for K Street shooting since Smiley Martin's death

Well, it really is a tragedy. We're following more breaking news tonight. The attorney for one of the men charged in the Sacramento street shooting is speaking out after his brother, Smiley Martin, was found dead in a jail cell today. Both brothers are accused of the April 2022 shooting. Smiley Martin's defense team confirmed his death to KCRA and said they have been in contact with the prison squad, which is now conducting an investigation. In a statement, public defender Norman Dawson said, in part, “It is extremely sad that Mr. MARTIN DIED WHILE FIGHTING FOR HIS INNOCENCE IN THE PRE-TRIAL PROCESS. MR. MARTIN'S DEFENSE TEAM SENDS OUR DEEPEST CONDITIONS TO HIS FAMILY AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY IN THE FUTURE.” MORNING TODAY, THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ANNOUNCED IT IS INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF AN INMATURE, WHO WE HAVE NOW LEARNED IS MARTIN. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THIS MORNING, DEPARTMENTS WERE CONDUCTING A CELL CHECK AT AROUND 9:15 PM WHEN THEY FOUND A 29-YEAR-OLD MAN UNRESPONSIBLE IN A CELL. DESPITE LIFE-SAVING EFFORTS, THE INMATURE DIED IN JAIL. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THE MAN HAS BEEN IN JAIL SINCE APRIL 20, 2022. TONIGHT WE SPEAKED WITH HIS BROTHER'S ATTORNEY, DEANDRE MARTIN. WE HAVE, YES, BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HIS FAMILY AND MY CLIENT. THE FAMILY IS DEVASTATED, AS YOU CAN WELL IMAGINE, UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT THIS YOUNG MAN DIES WHILE STRUGGLING TO PROVE THAT HE WAS ACTING IN SELF-DEFENSE. IT'S TRULY A TRAGEDY THAT HE DIED UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRISON IS SENSITIVE TO THESE CIRCUMSTANCES TO ENSURE THAT DEANDRE IS SAFE IN CAPTIVITY. AND TONIGHT OFFICERS ARE INVESTIGATING HOW SMILEY MARTIN DIED. KCRA HAS REPORTED TWO MORE INMATE DEATHS THAT OCCURRED JUST LAST MONTH, ON MAY 5, AT THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY MAIN PRISON. OFFICIALS SAY A 45-YEAR-OLD MAN DIED AFTER BEING FOUND UNRESPONSIVE AND ALONE IN HIS CELL. HE WAS IN A SECTION OF THE PRISON WHERE INMATES WERE HOUSED IN DRUG DETOXIFICATION. ONE WEEK LATER, ON MAY 12, A 55-YEAR-OLD MAN DIED DURING THE INCORPORATION PROCESS AT THE

K Street shooting: First court date since death of one of the three accused shooters in Sacramento jail

Updated: 8:42 a.m. PDT, August 16, 2024

Preliminary proceedings will resume Friday in the 2022 K Street shooting case that left six people dead and 12 injured. Previous coverage in the video player above. This is the first court proceeding since one of the three accused shooters was found dead in a cell at the Sacramento County Main Jail. The man found dead, Smiley Martin, died in June. The sheriff's office said officers conducted a cell check in the 5-East 300 pod and found the 29-year-old unresponsive. Officers, medical personnel and later Sacramento Fire Department employees attempted to save lives, but Martin died in the jail around 2:15 a.m. | RELATED | 2 years since K Street shooting: Defense questions witnesses about moments leading up to shooting Martin's defense attorney called his death 'tragic.' The two surviving suspects, Dandrae Martin and Mtula Payton, face murder and weapons charges in connection with the shooting, which is believed to be gang-related.

SACRAMENTO, California —

Preliminary proceedings will resume on Friday in the 2022 K Street shooting that left six people dead and 12 injured.

Previous coverage in the video player above

This is the first trial since one of the three accused shooters was found dead in a cell at the Sacramento County Main Jail. The man found dead, Smiley Martin, died in June.

The sheriff's office said officers conducted a cell check at the 5-East 300 Pod and found the 29-year-old unresponsive. Officers, medical personnel and later Sacramento Fire Department personnel attempted to rescue Martin, but he died in the jail around 2:15 a.m.

| RELATED TOPICS | 2 years since K Street shooting: Defense questions witnesses about moments leading up to shooting

Martin's defense attorney described his death as “tragic.”

The two surviving suspects, Dandrae Martin and Mtula Payton, are charged with murder and possession of weapons in connection with the shooting, which is believed to be gang-related.