Melvin Davis was sentenced to death by the State of Alabama for two murders
According to court documents Melvin Davis would be involved in a shootout with the two victims, Timothy Ray and John Bradley, that would leave two people dead and one injured
Melvin Davis would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
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Melvin Davis is incarcerated at Holman Prison
Melvin Davis Case
Timothy Ray was twenty-seven years old at the time of his death. He was shot seven times, execution style, at point-blank range. John Bradley was sixty-seven years old at the time of his death and was shot three times, execution style, at point-blank range. Eugene Smith was fifty years old when he was shot execution style in the head. Miraculously, he survived and testified at trial. Charlie Boswell, Jr., was the target of the murders as he was the informant in a drug case that was pending against Davis and his brother, Princeton Davis. Boswell, Jr., was not at the home when the shootings occurred. The roots of this case stem from an earlier drug sale case against Davis. In 1995 and 1996, Davis sold marijuana, along with his brother Princeton Davis, from his family’s apartment in Gibbs Village. The Montgomery Police Department learned of these drug sales and sent an informant, Charlie Boswell, Jr., to make controlled buys. Boswell made several buys from Princeton Davis and one buy from Davis. Based upon these buys, Davis and his brother were arrested and charged with distribution of marijuana. They were subsequently indicted on the offenses.
“ ‘During the pendency of this case, Davis learned of the identity of the informant, Boswell, from his lawyer. Davis determined that the way to eliminate the case was to eliminate the informant. Approximately three weeks before the murders, Davis met with Marcus Dunn and codefendants, Derrick Singleton 2 and Antonio Jointer,3 at the house on Caffey Dr., where Davis had moved his drug operation. At this meeting Davis discussed several ways in which to silence the informant. It was decided that Boswell, Jr., would be killed. Boswell, Jr., lived, at times, with his father at 3325 Loveless Curve, which was around the corner from where Davis was selling drugs. Singleton scouted the house and on one occasion drove by it with Dunn to show him where the informant lived.
“ ‘On Thanksgiving night, November 29, 1996, Davis met with Singleton and Jointer to go to the Top Flight Disco. The three drove to the club in Singleton’s Chevrolet Nova. They stayed in the club until closing, which was approximately 2:00 a.m. They then left the club in the same automobile, with Davis driving, Jointer in the front passenger seat, and Singleton in the rear passenger seat. They traveled down High St. to Decatur St. and then turned right on Fairview Ave. Jointer believed that they were taking him to his home which was on Rosa Parks Ave. Instead, at the traffic light at Fairview and Interstate 65, Davis produced a .45 caliber pistol and Singleton produced a .38 caliber pistol, stating, “It’s time.” Jointer knew that they meant it was time to kill the informant. Jointer was unarmed. Davis then drove to Caffey Dr. and then turned onto Loveless Curve, stopping down the street from the house. They then approached the house. Davis banged on the door at 3325 Loveless Curve until the home owner, Charlie Boswell, Sr., came to it. Davis then stated that he was there to see ‘Lewis.’ Boswell replied that Lewis did not live there but, inquired if he meant ‘Eugene,’ who was Eugene Smith, Mr. Boswell’s close friend and roommate. Davis stated that he did, and Mr. Boswell let all three men inside the house. Present in the house with Mr. Boswell were Timothy Ray, who was asleep on a love seat by the front door in the living room, John Bradley, who was asleep on a couch in the living room, and Eugene Smith, who was in the bedroom at the back of the house. Davis and Singleton went to the door of Mr. Smith’s bedroom and Davis asked, “Is that him?” Singleton replied in the affirmative. At trial, Mr. Smith positively identified Davis as one of the men standing at his door. At that point, as Mr. Smith described it, the other one walked to him, placed the gun to his ear and fired. Miraculously, he survived but was seriously wounded. Jointer, who was standing in the hallway, heard the shot and was numb with fear. Davis, Singleton, and Jointer then fled the house. As they were leaving, Davis and Singleton coldly and methodically pumped numerous rounds into Timothy Ray and John Bradley. Mr. Ray was shot seven times at point-blank range with a .45 caliber pistol and a .38 caliber pistol while Mr. Bradley was shot three times at point-blank range with .45 caliber and .38 caliber pistols. [Forty-five] caliber shell casings were found in Eugene Smith’s bedroom and in the living room near the bodies of Mr. Smith and Mr. Ray. [Thirty-eight] caliber and .45 caliber slugs were also found in the house and were recovered from the bodies of the victims. Timothy Ray and John Bradley were shot for no reason except they were in the path of the defendants as they fled. Davis told Jointer that if he ever told anyone about the shootings, he would kill him.
“ ‘After the shootings, Davis drove to the Waffle House [restaurant] on West South Blvd. with Singleton and Jointer where they met Davis’s girlfriend, Kaneshia Taylor. Davis and Singleton sat with Taylor and ordered food while Jointer sat by himself at another booth.
“ ‘For approximately one year this case went unsolved until Dunn, who was facing drug charges, came forward with the information concerning the conspiracy to kill Charlie Boswell, Jr., initiated by, and to the benefit of, Davis. This statement led the police to Jointer who gave a statement implicating Davis and Singleton in the shootings. Davis, upon being questioned by police, denied any involvement in the shootings but admitted to being with Jointer and Singleton that night.” ’
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/al-court-of-criminal-appeals/1460058.html
