Greenville – District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson announced this week that Kenneth Harper has been convicted on charges of Aggravated Assault, Shooting into a Dwelling, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
On Monday, December 4, 2023, with his trial set before Judge Carol White-Richard, Harper chose instead to plead guilty to the charges brought against him. For the Aggravated Assault charge, Harper was sentenced to 20 years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with 10 years to be served in custody. Harper was also sentenced to 5 years in custody for the charge of Shooting into a Dwelling, and 5 years in custody for the charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
The charges against Harper arose from a 2022 incident wherein a family member of Harper had performed mechanical work on Harper’s vehicle. When Harper and his victim (the family member) discussed how much Harper owed for the work, an argument ensued that ended with Harper firing a gun at the victim and into the victim’s home.
The case against Harper was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney M. Austin Frye, who expressed his gratitude towards the Greenville Police Department for their quick response and thorough investigation of the crimes. Frye stated that “[t]he Greenville Police Department took all the necessary steps that a diligent and effective investigation requires, and their work resulted in a successful conviction. Hopefully, this prosecution serves as further reinforcement that if offenders continue to use gun violence to solve their problems, then we will continue to ensure that they end up behind bars.”