Accused killer bonds out of Manatee jail

MANATEE -- A man charged with murder in the shooting death of his cousin was released from the Manatee County jail after he posted bond, according to the jail website.

Kwame Henri, of Bradenton, is charged with the slaying of his 19-year-old cousin, Kenya Cox. On Friday night, Cox was found laying outside on the roadway in front of Henri’s home in the 1700 block of 27th Avenue East.

He was shot once in the head, Henri’s arrest warrant shows, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Henri was arrested Monday at the same home. He was also charged with marijuana and crack cocaine possession. On Thursday, his bond was listed at $26,120 for all three charges.

On Tuesday, Henri’s defense attorney, Charlie Britt, said he placed three alibi witnesses on the stand who told the court that Henri was not at the scene of the shooting.

Britt said that at the time of the shooting, Henri was a few blocks away with some friends when they heard a gunshot. They ran toward the sound of the gunshot and chased the shooter away, Britt said.

Henri’s arrest was made after an eyewitness interviewed by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said Henri and Cox were wrestling in front of the house in the 1700 block of 27th Avenue East.

The witness thought they were “playing around,” but then he heard a shot and Cox fell, a warrant states.

Henri was holding a .357 revolver that the friend “knows to be Kwame’s gun,” according to the warrant.

But on Thursday, the prosecutor “didn’t really have anything to add,” Britt said.

Henri’s arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 17, court records show.

“There’s a lot of holes in the case,” Britt said.

This story was originally published January 27, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Accused killer bonds out of Manatee jail."