Femme Fatale: Amarillo Native Set for Trial in Nashville
On August 26, 2017. Headlines all over the nation blasted the news that an aspiring country singer from Nashville had been arrested on felony assault charges in connection with the shooting of a homeless man.
In the year following the indictment, Amarillo native Katie Quackenbush found herself admist a media furor. Now, nearly five years after the date of the alleged offense, the musician and influencer finds herself headed back to court for a jury trial that has been set for April 25th, as per court records.
August 26, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee
According to court documents and various media outlets, the incident took place in the wake of a verbal altercation between Quackenbush and an area transient, Gerald Melton. Allegedly, some time around 3 AM, Melton found himself awakened by the loud music and exhaust fumes coming from Quackenbush's Porsche SUV.
Melton reportedly expressed his displeasure with the noise and fumes disturbing him from his sleeping spot just off the sidewalk. Quackenbush reportedly engaged in the verbal escalation.
This led to Quackenbush allegedly retrieving a weapon from her vehicle and shots were fired, seriously wounding Melton.
Who Was Katie Layne?
At the time of the incident, Katie Layne Quackenbush was an aspiring musician who was newly arrived on the country music scene in Nashville from her hometown of Amarillo, Texas. In Amarillo, she was known as the daughter of a controversial and contentious local attorney, Jesse Quackenbush.
In the aftermath of the alleged offense in Nashville, the media frenzy turned up a full array of her videos showing her dabbling in rap music and starting up a promotions company, along with her time as a ski instructor.
At the time of the alleged offense, her latest goal to chase was that of being a Country singer. She had also been featured on the pilot of a short-lived show called Southern Fried Bride.
Five Long Years to Trial
Headlines following the event were bold and the public outrage was undeniable. But as the years have passed, there have been numerous court appearances and hearings, a testimony to the laborious reality of the judicial system.
As the case's journey through the legal system progressed, the media attention surrounding the case has died down.
The recent court documents indicate that Quackenbush has elected for a jury trial, which is set for April 25th, 2022. In the vast majority of criminal proceedings, a plea bargain is offered by the prosecution as a chance to bypass a costly (and risky) trial. There is no word on whether a plea bargain had been discussed by the parties, but the election for a jury trial suggests that such an offer is now off the table.
We will continue to cover this story as it develops.