By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS Staff
LAMAR COUNTY — A 19-year-old Alabama teen who gained significant public support online has pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in the shooting of his unarmed stepfather, an incident prosecutors say could easily have turned deadly.
Marquese Donshae Gunter, initially jailed on a $750,000 bond, admitted in court Friday that he shot his stepfather, Travis Smith, during a January 23, 2025, confrontation inside their Sulligent apartment. Smith survived after being airlifted to a Tupelo hospital with gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.
The announcement came from 24th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Andy Hamlin, who said the evidence contradicted early claims circulating online that Gunter was defending his mother from domestic violence.
“Questions later arose regarding whether Mr. Gunter acted to protect his mother,” Hamlin said. “While investigators examined all possible scenarios, the evidence did not support that theory.”
Hamlin said Gunter confessed in court that Smith was seated on the couch, unarmed, and posing no threat when he was shot. The admission aligns with physical evidence and a video-recorded statement Gunter gave to Sulligent police hours after the incident. Gunter initially fled the scene but later returned with the gun, which he claimed had been stolen.
The case attracted attention from bloggers and supporters who raised money through GiveSendGo, calling Gunter “an innocent teenager…defending his mother.” At a recent bond hearing, even the victim asked for the charges to be dropped.
Hamlin said prosecutors were prepared for a jury trial but entered plea discussions after Gunter’s attorneys requested a settlement following his competency evaluation. Under the agreement, Gunter received probation and court-ordered anger management counseling.
“This could have easily turned into a homicide,” Hamlin said. “I’m thankful the victim survived, and I hope this gives Mr. Gunter a real opportunity to move forward while keeping the public safe.”