New charges filed against two men involved in deadly Clinton shooting

CLINTON, Iowa – New charges have been filed against two men involved in a deadly shooting in Clinton earlier this month that left a recent first-time father dead.

Julius Graham, 19, and Noah Pruett, 20, both of Clinton, are charged with Reckless Use of Firearm Causing Serious Injury, a Class C Felony, and Involuntary Manslaughter, an Aggravated Misdemeanor.

Pruett is also charged with Accessory After the Fact, an Aggravated Misdemeanor.

On Feb. 22, the family confirmed to me the man who died was Brady Newsom of Clinton, who recently turned 20 years old and was a first-time father to a baby boy.

These new charges come after both Graham and Pruett were already charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

Allegations.

On Feb. 17, at around 9 p.m., police and EMS responded to the 500 block of 22nd Avenue North in Clinton for a report of a shooting, where they found Newsom suffering from a gunshot wound, affidavits show.

Dispatch audio indicates first responders performed CPR on scene. Police say Newsom was then taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Witnesses told police Graham was the shooter, and that he and Pruett had been drinking alcohol when they were handling a gun in a room with Newsom and others.

Graham admitted to police he was in possession of a black handgun with a purple grip when the gun fired and struck Newsom, causing his death, affidavits show.

Furthermore, witnesses told police Graham was pointing the gun at Newsom when it was fired, affidavits show.

Witnesses also told police Pruett had the gun before giving it to Graham, and that he knew it was loaded, affidavits show.

After the shooting, police say witnesses observed Pruett take the gun and leave in a vehicle to go to a family member’s house in the 100 block of North 3rd Street in Clinton where he claimed he had hid the gun.

According to GPS, the house Pruett allegedly went to after the shooting is a little more than two miles, and about a six minute drive, from where the shooting occurred.

Officers received permission to search the property where they found the gun hidden under the deck. The gun was later identified by witnesses as the same gun used in the shooting, affidavits show.

As previously reported, both Graham and Pruett are subject to valid criminal no-contact orders prohibiting them from legally possessing a gun, affidavits show.

Later that night, police say Graham was uncooperative when they were trying to book him into jail. On multiple occasions, he is accused of pulling away from the jailer and preventing the jailer of performing his duties, affidavits show.

On Feb. 27, both were already placed in custody on initial charges of Unlawful Possession, among other violations, when authorities filed new charges connecting both of them directly to Newsom’s death.

What comes next?

Graham remains in custody at the Clinton County Jail on a $12,000 cash only bond.

A hearing for the new charges has not yet been set, but arraignment for the initial charges is set for March 3 at 9:15 a.m.

On Feb. 27, Pruett pleaded Not Guilty to the initial charges and invoked his right to demand a speedy trial, of which must begin on or before May 27, court documents show.

Pruett remains in custody at the Clinton County Jail on a $15,000 cash only bond, but a hearing for the new charges has not yet been set. A pretrial conference for the initial charges is set for March 11 at 9 a.m.

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