Bail of $300,000 for man accused in courthouse shooting

CANTON, Miss. (AP) - Bail was set at $300,000 Tuesday for the man accused of gunning down a defendant outside a rural Mississippi courthouse - a crime officials say might have been motivated by revenge over the recent shooting of his mother.

William B. Wells, 24, was a former firefighter who had never been in any more serious legal trouble than some traffic tickets. However, authorities say that on Monday, he pulled up to the Madison County Courthouse, got out of his truck, and shot a man in the chest with a semiautomatic handgun.

On Tuesday, he appeared via video before Judge Mamie Chinn, who set his bail.

Kendrick Armond Brown was supposed to appear in court Monday but died there in a courtyard. Sheriff's deputies witnessed the shooting from a security checkpoint inside the glass-walled, courthouse lobby, and Wells laid down his gun and surrendered as soon as they came out, Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker said.

Brown had been facing up to life in prison for felony drug charges under Mississippi's habitual offender law.

Authorities said they hadn't confirmed a motive. However, Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest has said officials were investigating whether Wells was seeking revenge for the Saturday night shooting of his mother, Sherry Wells.