A jury in Bowie County acquitted a man of murder Friday who claimed he killed his girlfriend’s twin brother in self defense.
Kavante Lamar Wright, 27, was accused of murder in the March 19, 2020, shooting of Eric Gentry, 35. Prosecutors argued Wright was drunk and assaulting Echo Gentry when her brother intervened.
Texarkana defense attorney Shorty Barrett argued that Wright was not assaulting Eric Gentry and that the state brought up incidents of prior domestic assaults against Echo Gentry and several other women to confuse the jury. Barrett argued that Wright believed Eric Gentry had a gun because he had said he was getting one from his cousin’s truck and left the apartment where he lived with Echo Gentry and her children briefly and returned.
Barrett said Wright was justified in shooting Eric Gentry because he thought he was armed. Barrett said Wright was justified in shooting Eric Gentry because of the Castle Doctrine which allows a person to use deadly force to defend themself against a perceived threat in their own residence.
