Charges have been dismissed against one of two people accused of fatally shooting a man in the face outside a St. Paul bar this past summer.
The Ramsey County attorney’s office announced its decision Monday to drop the second-degree murder charges against Charles Eugene Frye in the death of Carlos Michael Rogers.
Frye’s jury trial was to begin Tuesday.
His attorney, Aaron Haddorff, could not be immediately reached for comment.
The dismissal was prompted by “recent developments regarding a key witness,” according to Dennis Gerhardstein, spokesman for the Ramsey County attorney’s office.
The case against Justin Darrell Reynolds — the other man charged with Rogers’ killing — is still moving ahead, Gerhardstein reported.
Reynolds’ next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 13.
Police found Rogers with a gunshot wound to his face amid a crowd of people outside Born’s Bar in the 800 block of Rice Street around 1:30 a.m. June 11.
The 28-year-old St. Paul man had reportedly gotten into a dispute with one of the bouncers around that time and was kicked out of the establishment. He was accompanied by a woman who later told police that Rogers was like an uncle to her.
Frye, 38, Reynolds, 29, and another woman were standing outside the bar when Rogers was escorted outside, according to the criminal complaint filed in the case.
A dispute between the parties reportedly ensued. At some point, Reynolds took out a gun and shot Rogers in the face, according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities previously stated that Reynolds took the shot after Frye told him to “get” Rogers.
Rogers’ friend told police there had been ill will between Frye and Rogers stemming from a 2011 murder, court documents say.
Rogers was released from prison about a week and a half before he was killed. He had been focusing on stabilizing his life and caring for his children, his cousin said shortly after his death.
He had been incarcerated for drug possession.