According to a coroner’s report, Atlanta club promoter Ashley “AJ” Jewell did not die from a head injury sustained during a fight at a strip club last weekend as had been widely reported.
The coroner’s report listed the cause of Jewell’s death as undetermined. The autopsy findings led to speculation that Jewell, 34, may have had a pre-existing condition such as a cardiac problem that led to his death.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office is awaiting toxicology reports to determine an exact cause of death.
Witnesses say Jewell, who was part-owner of The Body Tap strip club, was alert and oriented following a fist fight with Body Tap manager Frederick Richardson around 8:30 p.m. Friday. Sources say Body Tap owner Veronica M. Jones transported Jewell to the ER in her personal vehicle. He was later pronounced dead at Piedmont hospital.
Richardson, 45, was hospitalized for several days with broken fingers on his right hand and other unspecified injuries. Upon release from the hospital, he was taken to Fulton County jail and booked on a voluntary manslaughter charge.
A judge denied bond for Frederick on Monday (10/5) citing “the nature of the crime.” But Richardson’s attorney, Dennis Scheib, said his client acted in self defense after Jewell pulled a gun on him at the club. Schieb said Jewell twice threatened Richardson with the gun, and later followed him into the parking where he hit Richardson twice.
Scheib said Richardson drove himself to the hospital for treatment of his broken hand. As Richardson was driving out of the parking lot, “A.J. was walking away. He wasn’t beaten to death,” Scheib said.
Jewell was engaged to reality TV personality and former Xscape member Kandi Burrus until August.