MIAMI (WSVN) - An attempted murder charge against a man was reduced to a battery charge after, prosecutors said, a confrontation in August left a candidate for Opa-locka city commission with a chipped tooth.
Anthony Mitchell stood quietly as his attorney, Michael Pizzi, explained that he is no longer facing a charge of attempted murder related to a run-in with Christopher Davis, a candidate for the Opa-locka City Commission.
“The reason these charges got dropped is because they realize it’s all a lie,” said Pizzi. “We are very happy that the false allegations of attempted murder of a candidate for commission with a firearm had been dropped.”
In court Wednesday morning, Mitchell also learned that he is nevertheless not in the clear. He is now facing a battery charge in connection to the fight that left Davis with a chipped tooth.
“Mr. Mitchell, the state is moving forward as announced,” said the presiding judge.
Mitchell was initially charged with attempted murder after the Aug. 21 encounter.
According to police, that night, Davis got into an argument with Mitchell and his brother, and then a fight broke out.
“He’s like, ‘Oh, you think you all that? What are you afraid of a little competition,'” said Davis.
Body camera video of that night showed when Davis told police that Mitchell pulled out a gun and shot at him.
“He fired at you,” said a police officer.
“Yeah, he fired at me, and the bullet hole is in my car as evidence,” said Davis.
The fight would leave Davis with a chipped tooth.
“You see it,” said Davis.
“Yeah, you got a missing tooth,” said a police officer.
“Yeah, it came out, and my mouth was bleeding,” said Davis.
Mitchell’s attorney insisted his client never had a gun.
“They tested his hand to see whether or not he fired a weapon that night, and the test of his hand showed that he had never fired a weapon,” said Pizzi. “We are delighted, and very pleased that the false, and absurd allegations that Anthony Mitchell possessed a weapon, and tried to shoot somebody, have been proven to be false.”
Now, Pizzi intends to prove that Mitchell was not the aggressor and have the case thrown out.
“The remaining allegation, that a commissioner chipped a tooth when he attacked people, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on,” said Pizzi, “but we fully expect that he will be exonerated from that charge as well.”
7News reached out to Davis for comment. As of late Wednesday night, he has not responded.
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