FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
July 3, 2019
For media inquiries only, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Steve Marshall
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
Alabama Attorney General
Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces Court of Criminal
Appeals Upholds Chambers County Murder Conviction
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that on Friday the
Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the convictions of Kason Mathew King
for first-degree murder, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, second-degree domestic
violence and first-degree burglary. King, 33, of Lafayette, was convicted in Chambers
County Circuit Court in May 2018 for the murder of Jarred Smith and for injuring Paige
Adamson.
The evidence at trial showed that on June 8, 2013, King punched Smith while Smith
danced at a local bar with King’s ex-girlfriend, Adamson. The next morning, Smith and
Adamson were at a friend’s house, where King entered with a shotgun and shot twice,
killing Smith and injuring Adamson. Adamson successfully escaped the house but was
confronted by King outside as she tried to enter her vehicle. King forced Adamson to
drive him to his vehicle which was parked nearby. After King exited Adamson’s
vehicle, she called 911 and received emergency medical care.
Chambers County District Attorney Douglas Duerr’s office prosecuted this case and
obtained a guilty verdict. King was sentenced as a habitual felony offender to
concurrent terms of life imprisonment for his murder conviction, 12 months for his
unlawful imprisonment conviction, 15 years for his second-degree domestic violence
conviction, and life for his first-degree burglary conviction. King sought to have his
convictions reversed on appeal.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled the case during the appeals
process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm King’s
convictions. The Court did so in a decision issued Friday, June 28.
Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General Yvonne Saxon for
her successful work on this case.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
