Man Convicted In Death Of Bar Fight Bystander

Tyrone Lamont Grimes was convicted today of killing Karen Williams, a bystander, during a Brandon bar scuffle in October 2007.

It took the four-woman, two-man jury about two hours to reach a verdict after hearing testimony for the past four days from more than 30 witnesses.

The jury found Grimes guilty of second-degree murder in Williams' death, and guilty of attempted second-degree murder in the attempted shooting of another person, Jayfrey Williams.

Grimes faces up to life behind bars. His sentencing is slated for next month.

Witnesses said Grimes brandished a revolver in a dispute at Club Fluid, 2016 Town Center Blvd., with a man who Grimes accused of stealing his car and burning it. The initial melee was broken up by the man's friend, Jayfrey Williams.

Witnesses said Grimes went after Jayfrey Williams later. The pair scuffled, witnesses said, and Grimes was forced back on a pool table. It was then, witnesses said, that Grimes pulled his gun and started shooting at Williams.

The bullets missed Jayfrey Williams, but hit Karen Williams, a mother of three who had no connection to those in the dispute.

"Karen Williams on that night never saw it coming," said Scott Harmon, assistant state attorney in his closing statement.

Grimes did not testify, but a telephone interview he gave to The Tampa Tribune was read to jurors. In it, he said he was innocent and that Jayfrey Williams and another man attacked him and the gun went off as they scuffled over it. He said it wasn't his gun.

Ronald Kurpiers, Grimes' attorney, pointed to inconsistencies in statements key state witnesses gave throughout the investigation and at the trial.

"This case of characters spun one heck of a whale tale," he said.

Kurpiers argued Jayfrey Williams fired the fatal shot and Williams and his friend tried to frame Grimes.
Harmon told jurors that Grimes fled the night of the crime and spent the next four months hiding out in Miami despite having a pregnant wife in Tampa. He said Grimes had no contact with his family during that time for fear his calls would be intercepted by authorities.

"Does that sound like an innocent person?" he asked.

Harmon said those witnesses' testimony was backed by other witnesses with no connection to either the group or to Grimes.

The shooting occurred Oct. 17, 2007. Grimes turned himself in to authorities in January 2008.
Grimes' bail was revoked in September when witnesses said Grimes flashed a gun at Jayfrey Williams as he drove by when Williams was walking his daughter to a school bus stop.

When he was arrested on charges of attempting to intimidate a witness, police also found marijuana in his house and a digital scale in his wife's car.

Those charges are still pending.