A Mobile man accused of fatally shooting his girlfriend has been released on bail while he awaits further court proceedings, in a case his family describes as a tragic accident rather than a deliberate act of violence.
Raphiel Pier Quinnie faces a manslaughter charge in connection with the death of 19-year-old Selena Edwards, who died from a single gunshot wound near Michigan Avenue in mid-July. According to Quinnie’s mother, the couple, who share an infant child together, were handling a firearm together while on a trampoline at the time of the shooting.
Jackie Quinnie described the incident as a misunderstanding rather than an intentional act, saying she believes her son did not realize a round remained in the gun’s chamber when it discharged. She characterized the relationship between her son and Edwards as a loving one and said he has been devastated in the aftermath of her death.
A Mobile County district judge set Quinnie’s bail at $18,000 a few days after the shooting, allowing him to be released from custody while the case moves forward. Beyond the manslaughter count, Quinnie also faces a second-degree charge of receiving stolen property, with prosecutors alleging that the firearm involved in the shooting had been reported stolen.
Earlier accounts of the incident had placed the shooting near a home on Cloverleaf Circle South, differing slightly from later reporting that identified the location closer to Michigan Avenue. Quinnie was booked into the Mobile County Metro Jail in the early morning hours following the shooting.
A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for mid-August, when a judge will consider whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed toward a grand jury or further prosecution. Until then, Quinnie remains free on the bond set by the court.
Cases involving unsecured or improperly handled firearms around children and partners are unfortunately not uncommon in Mobile County court dockets, and prosecutors and defense attorneys often spend considerable time during preliminary proceedings establishing whether a shooting meets the legal threshold for manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, or a lesser charge. The outcome of Quinnie’s hearing next month is expected to shed further light on how authorities view the circumstances surrounding Edwards’ death.