A Chicago-based singer and songwriter arrested last week after her friend was shot in the head inside a Buckhead hotel room has been released on bond.
Joann Marie Slater, who goes by the stage name Ann Marie, is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after her longtime friend was shot Dec. 1 inside the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, authorities said.
She also faces a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from a separate incident last month, records show.
Officers were called to room 614 about 6:25 p.m. They arrived to find a large pool of blood and 24-year-old Jonathan Wright lying at the foot of the bed with a gunshot wound to his forehead, according to the incident report.
Police said he was “somewhat responsive” at the scene, but had trouble staying conscious because he lost so much blood.
Slater, authorities said, was standing beside the bed and screaming and crying hysterically, though she didn’t appear to have any visible tears in her eyes, according to the report. She told investigators Wright was shot when a .40-caliber handgun fell off the bed or dresser, discharging a round into the head of her childhood friend.
Officers discovered two shell casings inside the hotel room, however, one at the bathroom door and another at the foot of the bed, according to the police report. A bullet was found on the carpet near the bathroom door and officers noticed bullet holes in the door jamb and bathroom cabinet.
The bullet entered Wright’s forehead and appeared to exit his left temple, officers wrote in their report. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition, but an update on his condition wasn’t immediately available Thursday.
Slater was released from the Fulton County Jail shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday on a $60,000 signature bond, online records show. She is required to wear an ankle monitor and must remain on house arrest with the exception of pre-approved work and legal obligations, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan said.
She is also prohibited from making contact with the victim or his family and must stay away from guns.
According to YouTube Music, Slater is signed to Interscope Records and known for her single “Secret.” The song has more than 80 million views on YouTube and peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart in 2019.
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