Dadeville mass shooting suspects to be tried separately

DADEVILLE, Ala. (WALA) - Five of the suspects accused in the Dadeville mass shooting which killed four people and injured another 25 will be tried separately, according to new court documents.

Prosecutors filed a motion in the Tallapoosa Circuit Court to sever Travis McCullough, Willie Brown, Johnny Brown and Wilson Hill, meaning they will be tried by separate juries and not together.

The severance was ordered in part so the state could introduce testimony from one or more of the defendants without violating the constitutional rights of the other defendants.

Tyrese McCullough had been severed prior to the order after his defense filed a motion on his behalf and that motion was granted on the same grounds as the other four defendants.

The sixth defendant in the case, 15-year-old Sherman Peters, was not listed on the severance, but was ordered by a judge this week to be evaluated for competency to stand trial and his mental state at the time of the shooting.

The six defendants are charged with four counts of reckless murder, 24 counts of first-degree assault and one count of third-degree assault.

Johnny Brown has an arraignment date set for April 30.

Willie Brown and Wilson Hill entered pleas of not guilty and waived their arraignments while Peters case is continued until after his evaluation.

Records are not available for Travis McCullough and Tyrese McCullough.