Maurice Williams was 29 when he was shot on the St. Charles parade route during Mardi Gras in New Orleans on February 13, 2018. He was taken to a local hospital and later died of his injuries, turning a day of celebration into a deadly confrontation.

Accounts of what led to the shooting differ sharply. Family of the accused, 21-year-old Eddie Dingle, say an argument escalated, that Dingle’s brother was involved, and that Williams charged toward Dingle’s mother, prompting Dingle to fire in self-defense. Williams’s family say he was trying to de-escalate the conflict and protect others, including children, and was acting as a peacemaker when he was killed.

The New Orleans Police Department named Eddie Dingle as the primary suspect, an arrest warrant was issued, and Dingle turned himself in; he was charged with second-degree murder and held on substantial bail. The defense pursued a claim of self-defense and sought reduction of the charge to manslaughter. Was anyone on the St. Charles route that day able to see what happened or offer information about the confrontation?