Two men charged in death of another during an Ocean Springs store fight

Published 3:17 pm Thursday, June 7, 2007

Two men have been charged in a fight at an Ocean Springs business after a third person died.

Ocean Springs Police Capt. Louis Miller said Donald Lewis, 50, died Monday at Ocean Springs Hospital after he was taken off of life support.

Miller said Askia N. Thabit, 59, has been charged with manslaughter, and Robert F. Williams Jr., 35, has been charged as an accessory after the fact to manslaughter. Both men are from D’Iberville.

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They were being held Wednesday in the Ocean Springs city jail pending an initial court hearing.

Miller said investigators have determined Lewis was critically injured after he reportedly got into an argument with the suspects. They had gone to the store to return some items and buy a few things with a gift card.

Williams started arguing with Lewis about what he was buying around 4:45 p.m. Saturday when Thabit allegedly walked up and hit Lewis in the face, Miller said. Lewis fell backward, hitting his head against a freezer near the seafood counter in the store, Miller said.