New Albany double murder suspect pleads not guilty in court

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The man charged in connection with a double homicide at a New Albany gas station Monday appeared before a judge for the first time in the case Thursday afternoon, even as new details about the killings were released.

Cherok Ameer Douglass, 37, was in a a wheelchair when he was brought into the Floyd County courtroom.

He was already charged with one count of Kidnapping and one count of Robbery. Today it was learned that he now faces two additional charges of Murder and one count of Attempted Murder.

Police believe Douglass shot and killed his wife, Brandee Kay Douglass, as well as a witness, 43-year-old Lorin Yelle, at the Circle K gas station near the intersection of Beechwood Avenue and Grant Line Road in New Albany just after 10 a.m. on Monday.

Court documents released after Douglass' hearing on Thursday provided new details into the case.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Brandee Douglass' mother told investigators that both Brandee and her husband had been to a funeral earlier Monday morning. Brandee's mother said that, while at the funeral, Cherok stayed in the car, while Brandee came into the funeral home and told her that he was "acting crazy" because of an upcoming court date that he believed was going to send him back to jail, and that he was inside the car with a gun.

Police say they obtained surveillance video that captured the moments of the shootings in the Circle K parking lot. It showed a red Ford Explorer pulling into the parking lot and stopping, according to the probable cause affidavit.

"Shortly after the red Ford Explorer pulled into the parking lot, ten (10) gunshots were heard from the audio on the surveillance system," court documents state. At that point, police say a man wearing a camouflage jacket and dark pants -- presumably Cherok Douglass -- got out of the passenger side of the SUV and walked to the driver's side.

Moments later, police say the video shows Yelle walk out of the Circle K toward his vehicle, which was parked near the red Ford Explorer.

"The video showed Lorin walking out of the camera view and then moments later, a single gunshot was heard," the affidavit states. After the gunshot, police say Yelle comes back into view of the camera and falls to the ground near the rear passenger side of the red Ford Explorer.

"After falling, Lorin got back up and began to run toward a vehicle parked near the main entrance of the Circle K," police say. At that point, the other man in the camouflage jacket and dark pants follows him holding something in his hand.

Police say Yelle can be seen throwing something at the other man and the other man pointing "what appeared to be a firearm" at Yelle. Both men run off camera, before two more gunshots are heard, according to police.

Police say the man in the camouflage pants can then be seen getting back into the red SUV and driving away, leaving the body of Brandee Douglass on the ground of the parking lot.

After the shootings, police say Douglass fled in a red SUV. Police say when the car somehow became damaged, Douglass got out of the vehicle and ran into The Onion Restaurant & Tea House. Inside, he allegedly took a woman hostage and forced her at gunpoint into a silver SUV.

The woman was injured after she was hit by the SUV and thrown from the vehicle, according to court documents. She is expected to recover.

Police said Douglass then drove the vehicle at officers. That's when, Huls said, officers opened fire on Douglass, shooting him as he crashed the vehicle.

Both Douglass and the hostage were taken to the hospital. Their injuries were not believed to be life threatening, Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls said.

He said two officers with the New Albany Police Department fired their weapons, as did a deputy with the Floyd County Sheriff's Department.

New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey issued a statement Monday morning, saying in part that, "after an initial review of the incident it appears all officers at the scene of the officer involved shooting followed policy and acted appropriately."

Huls said originally the New Albany Police Department would handle the investigation of the Circle K homicide scene, while the Indiana State Police will investigate the scene at The Onion Restaurant & Tea House and the police-involved shooting. But on Tuesday morning, he said authorities decided that ISP would handle the entire investigation, in order to streamline the process.

During his Thursday afternoon hearing, Douglass requested a public defender. If convicted, the murder charges could carry a penalty of 45-65 years each.

Douglass' trial is set for Aug. 15. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 10.

Floyd County Prosecutor Chris Lane said he plans to meet with the victims' families soon.

"All victims of crime -- it's horrible," he said. "We are heartbroken for them."

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