Greenville, MS – District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson announced this week that Anthony Smith was convicted of the killing of Greenville man, Taurus Dandridge. With trial set to begin on May 24, 2023, before Judge Richard Smith in the Circuit Court of Washington County, Smith chose instead to plead guilty to the charge brought against him.
Smith, a habitual criminal, pled guilty to Second Degree Murder and was sentenced to forty (40) years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with twenty-nine (29) of those years to be served in custody. Due to the violent nature of Smith’s crime, he will not be eligible for early release or parole and must serve the entirety of his sentence behind bars.
Smith was charged following a 2019 shooting outside of the Kool-It Lounge on Nelson Street in Greenville, which left Taurus Dandridge deceased.
The case against Smith was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney M. Austin Frye, who expressed his gratitude towards the Greenville Police Department for their relentless pursuit of justice for the victim’s family, stating “[t]he Officers and Investigators with the Greenville Police Department not only quickly and efficiently identified and captured Anthony Smith following the shooting, but they also secured vital evidence which ultimately led to a successful conviction in the case, including surveillance footage and witness statements.” Frye also stated, “[c]itizens of Greenville need no reminder that senseless shootings are far from victimless crimes- leaving children, parents and friends left to grieve over the loss of their loved one. Diligent police work and prosecution removes shooters from our streets, and sends a message to potential shooters that gun violence will absolutely not be tolerated in our district.”