Miami

Murder Charge Dropped in 2013 Shooting in Miami Gardens

Charges were dropped Tuesday against a man who allegedly shot and killed another man during a deadly confrontation in Miami Gardens in 2013.

Lindsay Graves, 28, had been charged with manslaughter and attempted murder in the April 2013 shooting that killed 28-year-old James Nelson.

Prosecutors said they had to drop the case after their witness refused to cooperate.

"The state can't prosecute cases if people aren't willing to testify," Miami-Dade Judge Miguel de la O said.

According to police the incident began when three men got into an argument inside a vehicle in the 15600 block of Northwest 29th Avenue. Nelson was shot and killed at the scene.

Graves received minor injuries while a third man was stabbed, police said.

Nelson's family, who attended the hearing Tuesday, was distraught after the charges were dropped.

"How is it that two people that was committing a crime and killed our brother during it, how does a case like that get dismissed?" sister Kimberly Nelson asked. "We don't understand how it became a dismissal and we just want justice. If anybody has seen this, if anyone knows anything or anybody that was involved with the case and they know something, like please contact the family because we are pursuing this thing further."

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