Murder suspect claims self-defense

ERICA SHERRILL OWENS • American Staff Writer

December 19, 2009

A Hattiesburg man charged with murder in the stabbing death of a Taylorsville man admitted his actions while being escorted from Forrest County jail to his first appearance in Justice Court Friday.

"He attacked me," Zachary Lee Doughtery said. "I had no choice but to use deadly force."

Doughtery, 20, and Tony Lee Ducksworth, 42, had a struggle after Ducksworth allegedly tried to rape Doughtery and force him to perform oral sex, Doughtery said.
Ducksworth allegedly beat and tried to strangle Doughtery during the struggle, Doughtery said.

"So I pulled out a knife and I stuck him with it," Doughtery said.
Doughtery said the knife belonged to him.

Ducksworth suffered several stab wounds to the front and back of his torso, Hattiesburg police officials said.

"Do I regret it? The dude almost killed me!" Doughtery told reporters when asked if he was remorseful.

Doughtery claimed Ducksworth was much bigger and stronger than him, and he warned Ducksworth he needed to leave him alone.

"It was self-defense all the way," Doughtery said.

Ducksworth and Doughtery were friends at one time, and attended Temple Baptist Church together, Doughtery said.

"He used to be cool and try to lead me to Jesus and then one day he turned into a freaking maniac," Doughtery said.

Hattiesburg Police Department charged Doughtery with murder Thursday evening.

Doughtery appeared before Judge Tom Bates Friday afternoon and said he understood the charges, but he did not agree with them.

Doughtery denied having previous convictions. However, the judge brought forth information concerning an auto burglary charge given to Doughtery in 2008.

Doughtery neglected to finish a rehabilitation program prescribed by the court, and it was now the Forrest County district attorney's decision on how to move forward, Bates said.

Doughtery also had over $700 in fines owed to the City of Hattiesburg, Bates said.
Doughtery did not have a lawyer, and Bates said the court would appoint a public defender for him.

Doughtery's bail was set at $350,000.

Ducksworth drove himself to Forrest General Hospital Thursday morning after the stabbing. He managed to tell hospital staff that he needed medical assistance before he lost consciousness.

Doctors worked on Ducksworth approximately 30 minutes before he died at 4:58 a.m. Thursday, Forrest County coroner Butch Benedict said.

At about 3 p.m. Thursday, HPD received information about a possible witness to the stabbing, HPD spokesman Sgt. Synarus Green said.

Doughtery was at Boardwalk Apartments in Hattiesburg. HPD took Doughtery into custody for questioning, and later labeled him as a person of interest, Green said.

One of Doughtery's roommates said Doughtery threatened him Wednesday night, so he left the apartment.

"It really freaked me out, so I left to stay at my girlfriend's," said Jose Welch of Hattiesburg.

Doughtery told the judge he had lived in the apartment one day, and had previously lived with his parents in Oak Grove.

Doughtery had moved into the four-bedroom apartment Wednesday, Welch said. One of the former roommates had just sublet the space to Doughtery. None of the roommates knew Doughtery, Welch said.

HPD investigated the area inside and outside Doughtery's apartment and labeled it a crime scene, police officials said.

There were bloodstains in the apartment kitchen, Welch said, and he and his roommates have told the Boardwalk apartment manager they want another apartment.

"I mean, do you really wanna go to the refrigerator with bloodstains on it?" Welch said.




From: http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20091219/NEWS01/912190332/1002/Murder-suspect-claims-self-defense