Forrest Suspect Appears In Court

((HT: AJC/Cook))

The grandmother of a 20-year-old suspect in the death of boxer Vernon Forrest cried as Damario Ware ((pictured, thanks AJC/John Spink)) made his first court appearance wearing a jail jumpsuit and handcuffs.

“I taught him right from wrong,” Rose Thomas said outside the Fulton County Jail on Wednesday after Ware’s initial court appearance lasting less than a minute, the time it took a magistrate to read him his rights.

Thomas, who raised Ware, sat alone on one of the two benches set aside for the public in the jail courtroom , crying into her hands.

So far, Ware is the only person charged with killing Forrest during an attempted robbery in a southwest Atlanta convenience store parking lot early on July 26.

Ware surrendered to police Tuesday. The image of a man believed to be Ware was captured on surveillance video confronting the boxer. Ware is charged with murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault and two gun offenses.

Police suspect as many as four more were involved.

Lt. Keith Meadows, who heads the Atlanta Police Department’s homicide unit, said Wednesday, “we are following other leads and I expect there will be more arrests soon.”

He declined to be specific.

Charles Watson, Forrest’s friend and manager and the spokesman for the boxer’s family, was angry about the direction he saw the case going.

“Right now they are probably trying to cut a deal with this guy [Ware] to get the shooter,” Watson said. “We don’t want a deal. We want justice. All of them should be convicted for the crime for murder.”

He said Ware should not get any special treatment because he “started the whole chain reaction with the robbery.”

The grandmother and Ware’s uncle, Frederick Waters, said a threatening call came to the Thomas house; they believe it was intended to frighten Ware about possible danger to his family should he be thinking about helping police.

According to Thomas, the caller Wednesday morning warned “don’t go to a service station late at night” and also said someone was going to “shoot up my house.”

Vernon Forrest, a 38-year-old former world welterweight boxing champion, was putting air in a rear tire on his Jaguar when Ware allegedly approached him. Forrest’s godson was inside the store, buying snacks.

Police said Forrest, armed, chased the robber down Whitehall Street, but lost sight of the man. As he was walking back, however, he encountered another armed man, and the two exchanged words.

Realizing he had confronted the wrong man, police said, Forrest turned to walk away. He was shot in the back seven or eight times. Police believe the man who shot Forrest was not involved in the robbery.

Forrest’s gold and diamond “4X World Champion” ring and a Rolex watch were taken and have not been recovered.

“He wasn’t raised to do the things he done,” the grandmother said. “I pray to God to guide him. He’s grown now so it’s out of my hands. I’m so sorry. I hurt for the Forrest family.”

Waters, Ware’s uncle, added as he helped his mother into a mini van, “our prayers go out to his family.”

He appeared at a jailhouse hearing in front of Fulton County Magistrate Sylvia McCoy, who read him the charges. Wearing a navy blue jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, Ware said nothing other than "yes, ma'am" and kept his eyes on the floor. He is being held without bond.

Morse Diggs from WAGA-TV and MyFoxAtlanta has the details from the courthouse...