Originally published July 27, 2015, in Arkansas Times
By David Koon | Reprinted with permission
A Pulaski County prosecutor today asked that five counts pending against Andre Demetrius Smalley be dropped, including three counts involving the alleged aggravated robbery of Little Rock musician Terry Charles “TC” Edwards. Smalley plead guilty today to a single count of battery, a class B felony, in the shooting of a Little Rock man last April. Smalley’s sentencing on that count has been set for September.
Pulaski County prosecutor Erin Driver, appearing before Circuit Judge Herbert Wright, told the court that Edwards was the sole eyewitness in the burglary and robbery counts against Smalley. She then asked that five counts against Smalley be nol prossed, or dropped, including the counts of aggravated residential burglary, aggravated robbery and theft of property obtained by threat of serious physical injury filed in May 2014 after Edwards told police that Smalley had repeatedly broke into his Johnson Street home and robbed him. Judge Wright granted the motion to drop the charges, after which Smalley plead guilty to a single count of battery in the April shooting of a man named Javian Booth.
Edwards, a mildly autistic man who was a colorful local figure on the Little Rock music scene, was found shot to death on Dec. 7, 2014 in the carport of a home at 2221 Howard Street in Little Rock. Police have made no arrests in Edwards’ murder. Edwards’ friends have posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of his killer, bringing the total rewards being offered in the case to $12,000.
In the Javian Booth case, police said that Smalley and another man approached Booth and a companion as the two were pumping gas at a convenience store on Wright Ave. in Little Rock. One of the men commented on Booth’s red hat, police said, and a fight ensued. Booth was shot in his buttocks, while the other victim was shot in the right leg. Both survived.
Smalley has two federal counts pending against him.