The Lake Tansi man indicted last month in connection with the Main Street shooting of a man in front of the courthouse was arraigned in Cumberland County Criminal Court.
Eric Brandon Garrison, 44, was indicted by the grand jury earlier this month on a charge of first-degree murder, upgraded from the warrant charge of second-degree murder that was bound over from General Sessions Court.
Garrison is accused in the Aug. 22, 2025, fatal shooting of Albert Sturgill Jr., 62, who was protesting in the area of the Military Memorial Park across from the Cumberland County Courthouse.
Garrison’s wife testified in a preliminary hearing Sturgill struck her husband in the head as they confronted each other on the sidewalk.
As Sturgill retreated out onto Main Street, witnesses said Garrison walked to his vehicle, got a handgun and walked onto Main Street and shot Sturgill.
In Garrison’s brief court appearance April 14, Judge Wesley Bray asked if he understood the charge against him and if he had plans to hire an attorney.
Garrison said yes to both questions and indicated he was in the process of hiring Howard Upchurch of Pikeville.
Attorney Stacy Farmer of the Upchurch law office told the court an approach for hiring Upchurch had been made by family members but arrangements had not be made.
Garrison is presently represented by the Public Defender’s Office. There has been indication a Crossville attorney might be hired to defend Garrison.
Bray then continued the case to May 12 to allow the family to continue attempt to hire an attorney.
The issue of $1.5 million bond holding Garrison was not discussed, and the defendant remains in jail lieu of bond.
In other cases on the docket, the following took place:
Deadline
•Jordan Andrew Griffis, home improvement fraud of $10,000 to $60,000, forfeiture and capias issued for failure to appear; 10 days in jail and ordered held for an appearance before the judge.
•Curtis Richard Hood, aggravated child abuse, neglect or endangerment, continued to May 12.
•Anthony Mark Knish, possession of 300 grams of meth or more and resisting a stop, arrest or search, continued to May 12 for a hearing.
•Kamryn Jayce Melton, statutory rape, bond surrendered by the defendant, to serve 90 days in jail and then be reinstated back on bond with a new appearance date of Aug. 11.
•David Michael Minnich, theft of property of $60,000 to $250,000, continued with date to be set.
•Randall Scott Sharpe, possession of a Schedule I drug with intent, possession of a Schedule III drug with intent and theft of property of up to $1,000, continued to July 14.
•Tina Angelique Sharpe, possession of a Schedule I drug with intent, possession of a Schedule III drug with intent and theft of property of up to $1,000, continued to July 14.
•Donald Ray Shirley, possession of a weapon by a felon and theft of property of up to $1,000, continued May 12.
Motions/hearings
•Damian Paul Castillo, held under $113,000 bond, motion/petition hearing continued to May 5.
•John Thomas Coley Jr., rape, continued to May 12.