MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jury selection begins Monday in the trial against the man accused of killing an 18-year-old in downtown Memphis.
Kwasi Corbin faces several charges, including first-degree murder, after he confessed to firing an assault rifle into a crowd near Second Street and Peabody Place in May 2016. Myneishia Johnson, a young mother who was celebrating her upcoming graduation from Booker T. Washington High School, was shot and killed. Two others were also injured.
Shortly after the shooting, one of Corbin’s friends spoke with WREG, saying Johnson was not targeted.
“I talked to him the same night before it happened. I absolutely know that girl was not the target,” said Mario Wilbourn.
Wilbourn said he’s a longtime friend of Corbin. He said for the last few months Corbin has been worried.
“This man sit in his car every single day of the week. Sit out there in his car and cry about what they did to his cousin and what they trying to do to him,” he explained.
Wilbourn could not say who Corbin’s cousin is or who killed him but said since he was murdered a few months ago Corbin has been on edge.
“He got kids out here too and I don’t think he’d want anyone to kill his baby mama and leave his baby without a mama either,” he explained.
Wilbourn said in the hours before the shooting Corbin told him he was going to a carnival and out on Beale Street. He believes Corbin saw someone connected with his cousin’s death and started shooting before they could shoot him.
During that time, WREG also discovered that the suspect has a criminal history and had several warrants out for his arrest.
In July, police documents showed Corbin attacked a girl on Knight Arnold near Perkins. He reportedly hit her in the back of the head and face while she was begging him to stop.
Several months later, Corbin was sitting on the couch with another girl when she asked him to move over. Corbin got upset and reportedly began punching her in the face and kicking her while she was on the ground. When a friend came to her aid, she grabbed a knife in defense.
It was at that point, Corbin allegedly drew a gun on her and threatened to kill her.
According to police records, in September he attacked a boy he was playing basketball with and threatened to shoot him.
Corbin was also wanted for a domestic assault charge from March in which he attacked his ex-girlfriend when she said she wanted to end the relationship. He reportedly hit her in the face, kicked and even bit her.
Last year he was also shot in the eye.