Clarksdale reported its first two homicides of 2021 this past weekend with the deaths and concern over domestic violence becoming part of discussion at the city's board meeting on Monday.
Clarksdale’s first homicide of 2021 was reported about 11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22 when police were called to a stabbing in the 300 block of Madison Avenue.
Police reports said officers arrived on the scene and spoke with April Nabors who told them she had received a call from her grandmother, because James Copeland and Jerry Copeland, were fighting.
Police said Nabors went to the house and found Jerry Copeland with two stab wounds to the chest area.
Ambulance crews arrived on the scene and coroner Scotty Meredith was called. Jerry was pronounced dead at the scene.
Clarksdale Mayor Chuck Espy said at a board meeting Monday, the event involved family and he urged those stressed out and suffering anxiety from COVID-19 to seek professional help.
“A family member took a knife out of the hand of one person and stabbed another,” said Espy.
James Copeland was arrested on charges of manslaughter by Clarksdale Police in this incident. Copeland was placed in the Coahoma County Jail to await arraignment in Clarksdale Municipal Court where formal charges would be filed and bond, if any, would be set.
The case was assigned to Clarksdale Police Department Assistant Chief Vince Ramirez.
Cuyahoga Street
Clarksdale’s second homicide this week occurred about 8 p.m. Saturday with police called to the 800 block of Cuyahoga Street on what police reports said they were told was a medical call.
Police reports said officers spoke with Christopher Burnett who told them he and Troy Sample were playing dominoes when Sample got up and went to a back room.
Burnett told police he heard Sample and Shyrick Hardmon arguing and then heard them fighting. Police said Hardmon came from the back and told Burnett to go check on Sample.
Burnett told police when he went to the back he found Sample lying on the floor on his side.
Burnett called 911 and Pafford Ambulance arrived on the scene and called Coahoma County Coroner Scotty Meredith. Sample was pronounced dead at the scene.
Espy said Monday, this incident was sparked by a dispute over a heater. He also said the victim was strangled.
Police took Hardmon into custody, filed charges of manslaughter and placed in the Coahoma County Jail on manslaughter charges, until formally arraigned in Clarksdale Municipal Court and bond, if any, set at that time.
The case was assigned to Assistant Police Chief Vince Ramirez.
Anyone with information about either of these homicides, or any other crimes, is urged to call the Clarksdale Police Department at 621-8156, or 911. All calls remain anonymous.
Clarksdale reported six homicides in 2020, down from the 12 reported in 2018. Clarksdale reported only two murders in 2019 after the community, police and churches addressed the issue in neighborhoods hit by the violence the previous year.
