NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The woman found guilty of reckless endangerment after shooting a man sleeping on a sidewalk near Music Row is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, August 18. The hearing is set for 9 a.m.
Katie Quackenbush was originally scheduled for sentencing on Friday, July 22.
Quackenbush was convicted of a misdemeanor and experts believe she may not see any jail time, only probation. She initially faced first-degree attempted murder, but in April the jury decided she likely did fear for her safety.
The shooting happened in 2017 when police said Gerald Melton, a man experiencing homelessness, asked Quackenbush to move her car due to the exhaust fumes and loud music. The two got into an argument and Quackenbush shot Melton twice before driving off. Melton suffered lifelong damage after the shooting.
Prosecutors said her self-defense argument was not valid, because Melton was not armed. The jury disagreed, deciding Quackenbush did fear for her safety. Their verdict of reckless endangerment means her conduct did put others needlessly at risk.
But this is a misdemeanor, the lowest of the lesser included offenses. This means she cannot be imprisoned for more than a year, nor may she be fined more than $2,500.
