A grand jury investigation into Karl Pugh‘s role in the shooting death of Quentin Joavor Ragland is complete and a formal charge in the case is expected next week, a prosecutor assigned to the case said Friday.
According to charging documents, Pugh, 31, and Ragland, 27, were smoking PCP together at Ragland’s apartment at 800 Southern Avenue in September. The two got into a “tussle.” Ragland retrieved a revolver from inside his apartment and then returned to the hallway where the fight had begun. Pugh was able to get the gun from out of Ragland’s hands, “at which time [he] shot [Ragland],” according to the documents.
Pugh’s defense attorney, Liyah Brown, argued at a preliminary hearing that Pugh was acting in “complete self-defense” at the time of the shooting. Brown said Pugh’s statements to police indicate that he and Ragland had struggled for control of the gun, and that it could have fired accidentally.
Judge Thomas Motley scheduled Pugh to appear in court again on March 8 for arraignment.
