KNOXVILLE - A Knox County judge today sent the case against a former University of Tennessee basketball player accused of an armed drug robbery to a grand jury.
Ramar Smith, 21, and co-defendant Kaoun Kaihani, 23, face charges of aggravated robbery.
Kinder Cole Tuckwiller, 23, testified today during a preliminary hearing in Knox County General Sessions Court the pair showed up at his Steeplechase apartment in North Knoxville around 5 p.m. on May 18 and robbed him at gunpoint.
Smith had been there about an hour or two earlier asking for marijuana, Tuckwiller testified.
"He asked me if I had any marijuana," Tuckwiller said. "I told him that I didn't. I didn't want him to know that I had any."
"Why not?" asked Smith's lawyer, Mary Littleton.
"Because he had a bad reputation," Tuckwiller responded.
"For what?" she asked.
"For robbing people," Tuckwiller said.
He didn't explain further.
Smith isn't charged in any other robberies.
Tuckwiller said Smith came to the apartment later that day, came inside and grabbed him in full nelson while Kaihani burst in with a handgun.
"They said, 'This is a robbery. Give us everything,'" Tuckwiller testified.
They found they keys to his gun safe and stole about $6,000 in cash, along with some marijuana, a gun and his wallet.
Ramar Smith
He ran outside as they left with a shotgun, fired in the air and tried to chase them in his truck but was too late, Tuckwiller said.
He flagged down a Knoxville Police Department officer and told the officer he'd been robbed.
Tuckwiller corrected himself throughout his testimony and brought his lawyer, Tom Dillard, to court with him.
Tuckwiller has not been charged with any drug offenses.
Assistant District Attorney General Leslie Nassios repeatedly objected to the cross-examinations by Littleton and Kaihani's lawyer, John Eldridge.
"It is not a defense of aggravated robbery if the victim was a drug dealer or possessed drugs," Nassios said. "This young man is not on trial. He is the victim of a robbery."
The day after Tuckwiller was robbed at his apartment, he was present when another robbery took place.
In that robbery, the apartment's tenant, Charles Austin Corn, was fatally shot.
No one has been charged in that attack.
"There's so much that can be read between the lines here about the supposed victim, regarding his credibility among other things," Littleton said after the hearing.
She and Eldridge said they look forward to putting on their defense in court.
More details as they develop online and in Friday's News Sentinel.
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Comments » 10
tenmanjonez#561272 writes:
It's a shame what he let his life become... It really really is
MurfreesboroVol writes:
It wasn't that long ago people thought Ramar had NBA talent. Now he is looking at hard time. What bad choices he made.
cc623 writes:
There was but,then you showed up
panties4tebow writes:
Plenty of postive in Knoxville these days and you can start with the VOLS FOOTBALL TEAM!!!!
Support a winner loser...not a tared hill!!!!!
MurfreesboroVol writes:
Tar Heels Rule reminds me of the guy from the Brad Paisley song that lives in his mother's basement and creates an online identity to compensate for his crappy life. What about it Tar Heel, how long since you've had a date? Does your mom still do your laundry? How are they treating you at Wal Mart?
tnboystuckinkentucky writes:
You're a tar hell fan??? What exactly is a tar hell? I've heard of them, but I've not actually ever seen one...lol!
bluetick writes:
So the tarheels play some mens basketball..... and? anything else? Is that all you have? You come visit the home page of RockyTop so you can run your pole smoker about tarheel basketball? Please dude. Do you realize how stupid you look?
99PairsOfJortsOnTheWall writes:
My thoughts and prayers go to the family of Charles Austin Corn.
Joevolsxtra writes:
This story reminds me of the COPS episode where the bum short-changed the hooker and she flagged a cop down to file a police report.
wagee12 writes:
Ramar Smith-- Thug
Brent Vinson-- Thug
I hope the court makes examples out of both of these losers!!
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