Chasity Dawn Carey is a former Stillwater, Oklahoma bail bond agent who fatally shot her 38-year-old client Brandon James Williams inside her office on August 9, 2017, and was acquitted of first-degree murder by a Payne County jury in March 2018. The shooting was captured on a GoPro camera that contradicted her initial claim of a struggle over the gun, and the not-guilty verdict drew significant public backlash.
How the Shooting Happened
Williams had been arrested in late July 2017 on three counts of second-degree burglary and one count of marijuana possession. Carey posted a $35,000 surety bond for his release on August 1. Within days she came to believe he was planning to skip bail, interpreting his stated plan to travel to Florida for his mother’s funeral as an attempt to flee.1KFOR. Family of Man Who Was Shot by Bail Bond Agent Speaks for the First Time After Trial
On August 9, Carey had her 19-year-old son text Williams pretending to be interested in buying the Ford Mustang Williams had put up as collateral for his $3,500 bail. Williams arrived at Signature Bail Bonds in downtown Stillwater unarmed. Carey locked the door and ordered him to put his hands behind his back so she could handcuff him. Williams resisted, asked “Why are you doing this for?” and tried to leave. Carey blocked the door and told him police were on the way. He then moved toward a window, apparently trying to climb out. Carey pulled a handgun from her desk drawer, raised it with both hands, and fired. The bullet entered Williams’ lower back and exited through his upper chest, a trajectory the state medical examiner said was consistent with being shot while bending out a window.2Fox 7 Austin. Oklahoma DA’s Office Releases Video of Bail Officer Fatally Shooting Client
Carey’s son had set up a GoPro in the office. In the moments after the shot, the recording caught him saying, “Mom, you shot him,” and Carey replying, “I did.” She cleared a malfunction in the firearm, returned the gun to the drawer, and told her son to call 911.3The O’Colly. Williams, Carey Never Fought Over Gun Before Fatal Shooting, Affidavit Says
Why Her Story Fell Apart
Carey told police she and Williams had struggled over the gun before it discharged. The GoPro footage directly contradicted that account. Detectives concluded Williams never possessed the gun, was not aware it was in the office, and did not physically struggle with Carey or her son before the shooting.4Fox 13 Seattle. Video Released of Oklahoma Bond Agent Shooting Client in Back Investigators said witness statements, physical evidence, and the video all contradicted her version and expressed doubt that the shooting was a justifiable act of self-defense.
The investigation also revealed that Carey did not hold a concealed carry permit and was not a licensed armed bail enforcement officer at the time of the shooting.3The O’Colly. Williams, Carey Never Fought Over Gun Before Fatal Shooting, Affidavit Says
The Murder Trial and Not-Guilty Verdict
Carey, then 42, was charged with a single count of first-degree murder in Payne County and spent seven months in custody before trial in March 2018.5KJRH. Attorney: Jurors Didn’t Believe Agent Meant to Kill Client Payne County District Attorney Laura Thomas charged first-degree murder rather than manslaughter, arguing Williams was shot in the back while trying to escape and was no longer a threat. The prosecution pointed to the GoPro footage, the medical examiner’s trajectory findings, and the evidence that Williams never touched the gun.6News9. Defense Attorney Explains Stillwater Bondsman’s Murder Acquittal
Defense attorney Jarrod Stevenson did not dispute that Carey pulled the trigger. He argued the state had failed to prove the “deliberate intent” to kill required for first-degree murder. Carey testified she feared Williams would kill her and her son if he got hold of the gun.7Fox 6 Now. Video Released of Oklahoma Bond Agent Shooting Client The defense also claimed Williams had shoved both Carey and her son during the confrontation.8OKC Fox. Stillwater Bondswoman Chasity Carey Found Not Guilty in Murder Case Stevenson contended the downward angle of the shot showed Carey was trying to disable Williams, not kill him, and that the jury was forced to choose between murder and nothing because the judge did not instruct on a lesser charge such as manslaughter.1KFOR. Family of Man Who Was Shot by Bail Bond Agent Speaks for the First Time After Trial
On March 9, 2018, the jury found Carey not guilty.9ABC News. Not Guilty Verdict for Bail Bond Agent Accused of Killing Man Stevenson said afterward that jurors indicated in post-deliberation comments they would have convicted Carey of first-degree manslaughter had that option been available.6News9. Defense Attorney Explains Stillwater Bondsman’s Murder Acquittal Thomas defended the charge as “appropriate based on the evidence” and noted that the judge decides which instructions the evidence supports; in this case the judge instructed only on first-degree murder.
Public Reaction and the Civil Suit
The acquittal generated substantial outrage. A Change.org petition urging prosecutors to reopen the case gathered more than 5,500 signatures within days.10Change.org. Put Chasity Carey Behind Bars for Shooting and Killing Innocent Client The Payne County DA’s release of the GoPro footage drove national coverage of the video showing Carey drawing the gun and firing seconds after Williams tried to leave.
Williams’ ex-wife Ashley Melton, with whom he shared a son, retained attorneys Noble McIntyre and Ramez Shamieh to pursue a wrongful death claim, noting that civil cases carry a lower burden of proof than criminal ones. The attorneys anticipated filing that month.11OKC Fox. Family of Man Killed by Bail Bondsman to Seek Civil Case After her release, reports indicated Carey intended to return to work as a bail bond agent.1KFOR. Family of Man Who Was Shot by Bail Bond Agent Speaks for the First Time After Trial
What Oklahoma Law Allows Bail Enforcers to Do
Under Oklahoma administrative code, a bail enforcer may use force only after issuing a lawful command for a defendant to surrender and the defendant refuses. Even then, the force must not exceed what is sufficient to temporarily restrain the defendant, and it may not last longer than reasonably necessary to hand the person over to a public officer. The regulation does not explicitly authorize the use of deadly force.12Cornell Law Institute. OAC 390:60-11-6 Carey was not licensed as an armed bail officer when she shot Williams, a fact that fed the debate over whether her actions were legally justified regardless of the jury’s verdict.