Football player death: deadline passes to seek death penalty

Published Feb. 24, 2017 4:54 p.m. ET

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Prosecutors in the death of a high school football player who shielded two girls from gunfire have let a deadline pass to seek the death penalty.

The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/2l8oyFA ) reports that Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen's office confirmed no notice was submitted ahead of the Dec. 9 filing deadline. Tennessee law requires formal notice by prosecutors when they seek ''enhanced punishment'' such as the death penalty or life without parole.

The case stems from the death of Fulton High School sophomore Zaevion Dobson.

Dobson's mother, Zenobia Dobson, declined to comment outside a hearing Friday for the defendants, 22-year-old Richard Gregory Williams III and 21-year-old Christopher Drone Bassett Jr.

Williams and Bassett were indicted in August on charges including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

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Information from: Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com