Executive Summary
- A Hinds County grand jury issued “no-bills” for Marquavius and Michael McLeod, declining to indict them for the 2025 St. Paddy’s Parade shooting.
- The brothers were released after 10 months in jail; defense attorneys argue evidence proved they were not the shooters.
- A third suspect, Kayne Davis, remains in custody charged with murder and aggravated assault.
- The family of the victim expressed frustration over the lack of notification regarding the release.
Two brothers arrested in connection with a fatal mass shooting following the 2025 Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade in Jackson, Mississippi, have been released from custody after a grand jury declined to indict them on murder charges.
Hinds County Circuit Clerk Zack Wallace confirmed on Monday that the grand jury returned “no-bills” for Marquavius and Michael McLeod. The brothers had faced one count of murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault regarding the violent incident near Lamar and Pearl Streets in March 2025. The shooting resulted in the death of Cortez George and injuries to seven other individuals.
According to detention records, the men were released from the Hinds County Detention Center on Thursday, ending approximately ten months of incarceration. LaQuinta Barnes, the aunt of the McLeod brothers, told WLBT that the release was unexpected, stating the family had not been notified prior to their arrival at her home.
Defense attorney Carlos Tanner, representing Marquavius McLeod, issued a statement criticizing the initial investigation by the Capitol Police. Tanner asserted that cross-examination during a preliminary hearing established that his client was not the perpetrator. “It’s unfortunate though that he had to sit in jail for nearly a year before we were able to establish it,” Tanner stated, emphasizing that investigators should have focused on accuracy rather than speed.
Conversely, Stephanie George, the mother of the deceased victim, expressed shock and frustration regarding the release. In an interview with WLBT, she noted that Capitol Police detectives had previously assured her of the strength of the evidence, including video footage. George stated she was not notified of the grand jury’s decision or the release of the suspects.
While the McLeods have been cleared by the grand jury, a third suspect, 18-year-old Kayne Davis, remains in custody at the Raymond jail. Davis faces one count of murder and seven counts of aggravated assault. Court records indicate Davis was denied bond in July at the Capitol Complex Improvement District Court.
Michael McLeod is identified as a former police officer at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. University officials declined to comment on his employment status following the grand jury’s decision.
Procedural Update & Investigative Outlook
The refusal of a grand jury to return an indictment, resulting in a “no-bill,” signals that the jurors found insufficient evidence to proceed to trial against these specific defendants. This legal development necessitates a significant pivot in the prosecution’s strategy, shifting the focus entirely to the remaining codefendant, Kayne Davis, or potentially reopening lines of inquiry to identify other actors. For the families involved and the broader Jackson community, the dismissal of charges against primary suspects after ten months of detention highlights the complexities of investigating chaotic mass casualty events and the high evidentiary threshold required for capital prosecution. It is important to note that all individuals, including the remaining defendant Kayne Davis, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
