DELIBERATIONS ARE UNDERWAY
After an hour delay, Judge Laura Hamilton has begun charging the jury.
Guilty of Capital Murder of Thurston Turner and Tank Beavers.
If they do not find him guilty of capital murder, they can then consider the two deaths seperate and come to different verdicts concerning the death of each man.
In regard to the death of Tank Beavers, the jury can return a verdict of guilty of:
Intentional Murder
Reckless Murder
In regard to the death of Thurston Turner, the jury can return a verict of guilty of:
Intentional Murder
Reckless Murder
Attempted Murder......I suppose this is if the jury feels the ER actually killed him????
In regard to the shooting of Tory Rogers, the jury can return a verdict of guilty of:
Attempted Murder
Assault
In regard to the shooting of Tim Reliford, the jury can return a verdict of guilty of:
Assault
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Testimony, Day Nine
Larry Morgan has withdrawn from Jamal Woods defense team. The defense has reopened their case and Larry Morgan is their witness.
Morgan has taken the stand to rebut what he says Dr. Adel Shaker told him over the phone that was different from what Shaker supposedly said on the stand.
Morgan says he called Shaker on Saturday, Feb. 7. He says there were "red flags" in Shakers testimony.
Concerning observations during the post mortem of Turner. He talked about the immobilisation, the process to stop flow of blood from turner. Shaker noted that in his examination that he discovered small metal coils with fabric in the coils that were put in Turners neck to stop the bleeding. He says Shaker told him a better way to have done that would be with a suture. He says a intern would have known to use a suture instead of a metal coil. He says Dr. Shaker told him that the ER doctors had written turner off and were treating him like they would a dead horse.
He says that Dr. Shaker indicated to him, that the procedures done at Huntsville Hospital, were a contributing factor to Thurston Turner's death. He says Dr. Shaker told him that the gunshot to Mr. Turner would not necessarily be fatal to Turner.
He says Dr. Shaker changed his testimony, because he was afraid the state would be mad at him.
His is under cross examination.
Morgan says he just wants to represent his client. It doesn't matter if he wants to get him cleared of the charges or not.
The prosecution has begun their closing arguments.
Larry Morgan, who had been one of Jamal Woods' attorneys, is now sitting in the back of the courtroom as a spectator.
Also, the charges have been ammended. The attempted murder charge involving the shooting of Tim Reliford, has now been changed to first degree assault.
Shauna Barnett is doing the closing argument for the prosecution.
She has finished. Alan Mann is now doing the closing argument for the defense.
Mann says that his job is not to make the jury like Jamal Woods. It is to tell them that the state has not met it's burden of proof to prove capital murder. Murder maybe, but not capital murder.
Rizzardi says beware of traveling salemen who try to sell you snake oil. The defense is selling you a bill of good.
The prosecutor says the Defense tried to pick on the victims.
Morgan has taken the stand to rebut what he says Dr. Adel Shaker told him over the phone that was different from what Shaker supposedly said on the stand.
Morgan says he called Shaker on Saturday, Feb. 7. He says there were "red flags" in Shakers testimony.
Concerning observations during the post mortem of Turner. He talked about the immobilisation, the process to stop flow of blood from turner. Shaker noted that in his examination that he discovered small metal coils with fabric in the coils that were put in Turners neck to stop the bleeding. He says Shaker told him a better way to have done that would be with a suture. He says a intern would have known to use a suture instead of a metal coil. He says Dr. Shaker told him that the ER doctors had written turner off and were treating him like they would a dead horse.
He says that Dr. Shaker indicated to him, that the procedures done at Huntsville Hospital, were a contributing factor to Thurston Turner's death. He says Dr. Shaker told him that the gunshot to Mr. Turner would not necessarily be fatal to Turner.
He says Dr. Shaker changed his testimony, because he was afraid the state would be mad at him.
His is under cross examination.
Morgan says he just wants to represent his client. It doesn't matter if he wants to get him cleared of the charges or not.
The prosecution has begun their closing arguments.
Larry Morgan, who had been one of Jamal Woods' attorneys, is now sitting in the back of the courtroom as a spectator.
Also, the charges have been ammended. The attempted murder charge involving the shooting of Tim Reliford, has now been changed to first degree assault.
Shauna Barnett is doing the closing argument for the prosecution.
She has finished. Alan Mann is now doing the closing argument for the defense.
Mann says that his job is not to make the jury like Jamal Woods. It is to tell them that the state has not met it's burden of proof to prove capital murder. Murder maybe, but not capital murder.
Rizzardi says beware of traveling salemen who try to sell you snake oil. The defense is selling you a bill of good.
The prosecutor says the Defense tried to pick on the victims.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Testimony, Day Eight
Glenn Vickery is on the stand. He is the headcoach at Daphne High School. He was the head football coach at Davidson High School in Mobile. Jamal Woods was one of his players.
Vickery says he came up on Jamal Woods who was in a fight. He says it took several coaches to separate them.
He says Jamal lost his temper several times. He says it pained him to see Jamal expelled because of his fighting. He says he and Jamal had a close relationship and that Jamal would drop and give him 10 pushups to this day if he asked.
Vickery says Jamal became violent when he found out he would not be allowed to graduate from high school because of too many absences.
Vickery says he tried to be a father figure for Jamal Woods. He also says that when Woods was expelled from Alabama A&M, that Woods called him to apologize.
Bart Sessions is now on the stand. He is a coach at Prattville High School. He was also once a coach at Davidson High School in Mobile. He was an assistant football coach when Jamal Woods was a student there.
Sessions says the fight he witnessed between Jamal Woods and another student was one of the most violent he has ever seen.
Investigator Kevin Turner is on the stand. Kind of a strange witness for the defense, because he works for the DA's offfice. The reason he is on the stand is that he deals with gang activity.
Turner is talking about the gang activity in L.A. He says that if you were a member of one gang and went into the turf of another gang, you could be beaten or even shot.
Turner says that showing disrespect was a very big no no among gangs and could lead to violence.
Court is in recess for lunch while the defense waits on one last witness.
After a very long break, testimony has begun again. Dr. Joseph Ackerson is on the stand. He is a psychologist at UAB. He is expected to be the defense's last witness.
Dr. Ackerson performed a mental evaluation on Jamal Woods.
He says Woods has anti-social personality disorder. Among the criteria are a failure to conform to the norms of lawful behaviour, deceitfulness and reckless disregard for the well-being of himself and others.
The doctor says Jamal's main role model growing up was the head of a gang and that is what he learned from.
Dr. Ackerson says Jamal Woods is very intelligent.
The defense has rested. Closing arguments will begin at 10am in the morning.
Vickery says he came up on Jamal Woods who was in a fight. He says it took several coaches to separate them.
He says Jamal lost his temper several times. He says it pained him to see Jamal expelled because of his fighting. He says he and Jamal had a close relationship and that Jamal would drop and give him 10 pushups to this day if he asked.
Vickery says Jamal became violent when he found out he would not be allowed to graduate from high school because of too many absences.
Vickery says he tried to be a father figure for Jamal Woods. He also says that when Woods was expelled from Alabama A&M, that Woods called him to apologize.
Bart Sessions is now on the stand. He is a coach at Prattville High School. He was also once a coach at Davidson High School in Mobile. He was an assistant football coach when Jamal Woods was a student there.
Sessions says the fight he witnessed between Jamal Woods and another student was one of the most violent he has ever seen.
Investigator Kevin Turner is on the stand. Kind of a strange witness for the defense, because he works for the DA's offfice. The reason he is on the stand is that he deals with gang activity.
Turner is talking about the gang activity in L.A. He says that if you were a member of one gang and went into the turf of another gang, you could be beaten or even shot.
Turner says that showing disrespect was a very big no no among gangs and could lead to violence.
Court is in recess for lunch while the defense waits on one last witness.
After a very long break, testimony has begun again. Dr. Joseph Ackerson is on the stand. He is a psychologist at UAB. He is expected to be the defense's last witness.
Dr. Ackerson performed a mental evaluation on Jamal Woods.
He says Woods has anti-social personality disorder. Among the criteria are a failure to conform to the norms of lawful behaviour, deceitfulness and reckless disregard for the well-being of himself and others.
The doctor says Jamal's main role model growing up was the head of a gang and that is what he learned from.
Dr. Ackerson says Jamal Woods is very intelligent.
The defense has rested. Closing arguments will begin at 10am in the morning.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Testimony, Day Seven
We are back in the courtroom this morning. Currently we are waiting on Judge Hamilton to enter the courtroom. The defense will continue its side of the argument. Attorney's Larry Morgan and Alan Mann are trying to keep Jamal Woods from getting the death penalty. We have heard that Jamal Woods might take the stand in his own defense. But from other trials I've covered, that tends to be a decision made at the last minute, depending on how other things in the trial are going.
Wanda Jackson is now on the stand. She is his aunt and lives in Los Angeles.
Jackson took care of Jamal while his mother went to school.
Wanda Jackson says that a very young age, Jamal became exposed to gang activity. That it was just a way of life living in L.A.
Wanda Jackson is now under cross-examination.
Jackson says that in addition to doing drive by shootings, that the gangs in L.A. would also have picnics.
Jamal Woods in on the stand in his own defense.
Woods says he has not seen his father since he was 12. But that when he was 2, his father, Roy Woods, came by his house to say he would not be coming by anymore. Jamal says he didn't understand why.
Jamal Woods says he saw his father again when he was 12 or 13. During that meeting the two got into a fight. His father took a swing at him with a belt. He has not seen his father since.
Woods says he moved around to several schools in L.A. Then the family moved to Mobile. He ended up in Huntsville after enrolling at Alabama A&M University.
Jamal Woods says gangs provided the only father figures he ever had. He says he was fascinated with them.
He says he saw his aunt's boyfriend get shot. He says he also saw a lot of fights. Woods says he also saw drive-by shootings.
He says his uncle became a big influence in his life. His uncle was also a part of a gang. Woods says the uncle told him that boys don't cry and they don't let other people disrespect them.
Woods is now talking about fist fights he got in while in school.
Woods says he enrolled at A&M and wanted to become an attorney one day.
We had a break. Alan Mann is still questioning Jamal Woods. Woods is talking about how his mother taught in the value of money.
He says he was expelled from A&M because of fighting. He and another student got into a fight in a cafeteria on campus.
Woods is now describing how he met his wife Tesia at A&M.
Jamal and Tesia had two sons together.
Woods says he sold drugs. He also used pot to excess. He says that he was forced to sell drugs to support his wife and two sons.
Woods is describing what happened to cause a fight in the Madison County jail, since his arrest. He says while his mother was visiting him, another inmate took off his pants and began to masturbate. He says when the guards would not let him fight the inmate, he began to fight the guards. The guards had to taser Woods to get him under control.
Alan Mann is now asking Jamal Woods about the night of the shooting.
Woods, Chauncey Davis, Brandon Rucker and his wife left their home on Blue Springs and went to TGI Friday's.
Woods says Tank Beavers was disrepecting him inside the restaurant. His wife told him that she only knew Tank Beavers through school. But Woods says he thought maybe the two of them were having some type of relationship.
Woods says Tank Beavers shot him a bird. Beavers was sitting at the bar area of the restaurant. Woods and his party were at table. Woods says either Thurston Turner or Tory Rogers seemed to be encouraging Beavers to continue to try and make contact with Jamal Woods' wife.
Jamal Woods yelled across the restaurant, "you need to turn the F*ck around." Woods says they laughed at him.
Woods says he left the restaurant to go to his car to get an I.D. so he could get a drink. But he noticed that his gun was not under the seat of his car. He says when he realized that the gun wasn't in the car, he went to his apartment and got a 9mm pistol.
Court is in recess for lunch.
Court is back in session. Alan Mann is still questioning his client, Jamal Woods.
Woods says he went to get a gun, just as a precaution and never intended to kill anyone. He says he came back to his table. He says he looked back up at the bar area, and Tank Beavers was still smiling. Woods then asked his wife again, "are you sure there is nothing going on between yall?"
Woods went up to the bar and told Beavers he had no right to be talking to his wife.
He said Beavers stood up, and so did the other people with Beavers, at that point Jamal Woods said he pulled out his pistol and started shooting. He said he didn't care if they had guns or not. It was just three against one.
Woods says at the moment of the shooting everything went in a slow motion. Then as soon as it was over, everything started going fast. After he stopped shooting, he ran out of the restaurant and went and got in his car.
Woods says he went to his apartment and watched the news to see what kind of description they had of him.
Woods says he is sorry for what happened. He apologized to the victims and the family members here in the courtroom. None of the victims or their family looked at Woods while he apologized.
Woods is now being cross-examined.
Woods says he wrote to a girlfriend, Tara Blackmon, while he was in jail. In the letter he told Blackmon that she was just as special as his wife. But Woods said he told her that, so that she would continue to sell his "dope" and get the money to his wife and kids.
Woods wrote in one letter a song to his girlfriend that read something like, "I bet your husband didn't shoot like me. I shot one, I shot two, I shot three."
The prosecution is entering more letters that were written by Jamal Woods to his girlfriend. In the letters he tells Tara Blackmon that she can become Mrs. Woods.
Woods is continuing to be cross examined. He says he wasn't thinking when he shot.
Jamal Woods has finished his testimony.
Wanda Jackson is now on the stand. She is his aunt and lives in Los Angeles.
Jackson took care of Jamal while his mother went to school.
Wanda Jackson says that a very young age, Jamal became exposed to gang activity. That it was just a way of life living in L.A.
Wanda Jackson is now under cross-examination.
Jackson says that in addition to doing drive by shootings, that the gangs in L.A. would also have picnics.
Jamal Woods in on the stand in his own defense.
Woods says he has not seen his father since he was 12. But that when he was 2, his father, Roy Woods, came by his house to say he would not be coming by anymore. Jamal says he didn't understand why.
Jamal Woods says he saw his father again when he was 12 or 13. During that meeting the two got into a fight. His father took a swing at him with a belt. He has not seen his father since.
Woods says he moved around to several schools in L.A. Then the family moved to Mobile. He ended up in Huntsville after enrolling at Alabama A&M University.
Jamal Woods says gangs provided the only father figures he ever had. He says he was fascinated with them.
He says he saw his aunt's boyfriend get shot. He says he also saw a lot of fights. Woods says he also saw drive-by shootings.
He says his uncle became a big influence in his life. His uncle was also a part of a gang. Woods says the uncle told him that boys don't cry and they don't let other people disrespect them.
Woods is now talking about fist fights he got in while in school.
Woods says he enrolled at A&M and wanted to become an attorney one day.
We had a break. Alan Mann is still questioning Jamal Woods. Woods is talking about how his mother taught in the value of money.
He says he was expelled from A&M because of fighting. He and another student got into a fight in a cafeteria on campus.
Woods is now describing how he met his wife Tesia at A&M.
Jamal and Tesia had two sons together.
Woods says he sold drugs. He also used pot to excess. He says that he was forced to sell drugs to support his wife and two sons.
Woods is describing what happened to cause a fight in the Madison County jail, since his arrest. He says while his mother was visiting him, another inmate took off his pants and began to masturbate. He says when the guards would not let him fight the inmate, he began to fight the guards. The guards had to taser Woods to get him under control.
Alan Mann is now asking Jamal Woods about the night of the shooting.
Woods, Chauncey Davis, Brandon Rucker and his wife left their home on Blue Springs and went to TGI Friday's.
Woods says Tank Beavers was disrepecting him inside the restaurant. His wife told him that she only knew Tank Beavers through school. But Woods says he thought maybe the two of them were having some type of relationship.
Woods says Tank Beavers shot him a bird. Beavers was sitting at the bar area of the restaurant. Woods and his party were at table. Woods says either Thurston Turner or Tory Rogers seemed to be encouraging Beavers to continue to try and make contact with Jamal Woods' wife.
Jamal Woods yelled across the restaurant, "you need to turn the F*ck around." Woods says they laughed at him.
Woods says he left the restaurant to go to his car to get an I.D. so he could get a drink. But he noticed that his gun was not under the seat of his car. He says when he realized that the gun wasn't in the car, he went to his apartment and got a 9mm pistol.
Court is in recess for lunch.
Court is back in session. Alan Mann is still questioning his client, Jamal Woods.
Woods says he went to get a gun, just as a precaution and never intended to kill anyone. He says he came back to his table. He says he looked back up at the bar area, and Tank Beavers was still smiling. Woods then asked his wife again, "are you sure there is nothing going on between yall?"
Woods went up to the bar and told Beavers he had no right to be talking to his wife.
He said Beavers stood up, and so did the other people with Beavers, at that point Jamal Woods said he pulled out his pistol and started shooting. He said he didn't care if they had guns or not. It was just three against one.
Woods says at the moment of the shooting everything went in a slow motion. Then as soon as it was over, everything started going fast. After he stopped shooting, he ran out of the restaurant and went and got in his car.
Woods says he went to his apartment and watched the news to see what kind of description they had of him.
Woods says he is sorry for what happened. He apologized to the victims and the family members here in the courtroom. None of the victims or their family looked at Woods while he apologized.
Woods is now being cross-examined.
Woods says he wrote to a girlfriend, Tara Blackmon, while he was in jail. In the letter he told Blackmon that she was just as special as his wife. But Woods said he told her that, so that she would continue to sell his "dope" and get the money to his wife and kids.
Woods wrote in one letter a song to his girlfriend that read something like, "I bet your husband didn't shoot like me. I shot one, I shot two, I shot three."
The prosecution is entering more letters that were written by Jamal Woods to his girlfriend. In the letters he tells Tara Blackmon that she can become Mrs. Woods.
Woods is continuing to be cross examined. He says he wasn't thinking when he shot.
Jamal Woods has finished his testimony.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Testimony, Day Six
Testimony got underway late today, because the courtroom was being used for jury selection for other trials. We are underway now. One juror has been dismissed because she has come down with a cold. So one of the four alternates has been picked to serve.
Bill Hancock, one of the Madison County Jail administrators is on the stand.
Hancock says that in November 2007, Jamal Woods had an altercation with jail guards, because Woods' mother was not allowed to visit.
There is a problem in the courtroom. The defense says they may call one of the prosecutors, Shauna Barnett to testify. They believe that the proper chain of custody for letters and documents Jamal Woods wrote while in jail were not properly followed. They claim Barnett had custody of the letters when she should not have had custody of them. So Larry Morgan has asked the judge for a mistrial. Judge Hamilton has left the courtroom, while she makes her decision.
Sorry for the delay. Judge Hamilton has ruled that letters supposedly written by Jamal Woods while in jail, cannot be entered into evidence. The prosecution's last witness was to be a hand writing expert, so he is not testifying. Instead, the prosecution is showing the jury the security camera video from the store. So far the video hasn't even gotten to the shooting portion. It's not clear why the prosecution wants the jury to see all of this, rather than just the shooting itself.
The state has rested its case. We are now waiting for the defense to begin.
The defense calls Dr. Adel Shaker. He also testified for the prosecution.
Bill Hancock, one of the Madison County Jail administrators is on the stand.
Hancock says that in November 2007, Jamal Woods had an altercation with jail guards, because Woods' mother was not allowed to visit.
There is a problem in the courtroom. The defense says they may call one of the prosecutors, Shauna Barnett to testify. They believe that the proper chain of custody for letters and documents Jamal Woods wrote while in jail were not properly followed. They claim Barnett had custody of the letters when she should not have had custody of them. So Larry Morgan has asked the judge for a mistrial. Judge Hamilton has left the courtroom, while she makes her decision.
Sorry for the delay. Judge Hamilton has ruled that letters supposedly written by Jamal Woods while in jail, cannot be entered into evidence. The prosecution's last witness was to be a hand writing expert, so he is not testifying. Instead, the prosecution is showing the jury the security camera video from the store. So far the video hasn't even gotten to the shooting portion. It's not clear why the prosecution wants the jury to see all of this, rather than just the shooting itself.
The state has rested its case. We are now waiting for the defense to begin.
The defense calls Dr. Adel Shaker. He also testified for the prosecution.
Friday, February 6, 2009
testimony Day 5
I am having internet problems this morning. I'm having to post this with my blackberry. So far two people have testified. Another police officer and a woman who says she bought cocaine from Jamal woods.
Kemeyttya(sp) Summers took the stand to say that she met up with Jamal Woods in the hours after the shooting to purchase cocaine from him.
Currently Norman Rogers is on the stand. He was with Jamal Woods, when police arrested Woods in the early morning hours of December 18, 2006. Rogers asked to hear his taped interview with police. So the jury has been sent out of the courtroom.
Jury is now back. Norman Rogers is testifying again. He says Jamal Woods told him that he had shot some people that night. At that point, he says he told Woods to not tell him anymore.
They are playing more of Rogers recorded interview with police. The jury has left again.
Norman Rogers has finished his testimony.
Investigator David Owens has been called back to the stand. No doubt to clear up some of the testimony of Normal Rogers for the prosecution.
Court is in recess until 1pm.
Bobby Berryhill, Madison County Coroner, took the stand for all of five minutes. He testified that he pronounced Tank Beavers dead at the scene on the night of the shooting.
Court is in recess until 2pm, while the prosecution awaits another witness.
Dr. Adel Shaker is on the stand. He works for the Alabama Department of Forensic Science. He performed autopsies on the victims. He first performed an autopsy on Tank Beavers on the morning of December 18, 2006.
The jury is about to look at pictures taken of Tank Beavers autopsy.
Shaker says Beavers was shot in the corner of his right eye. The bullet exited from the back of his head, traveled across the bar area of TGI Fridays and hit Tim Reliford in the face.
Shaker is now speaking about the autopsy performed on Thurston Turner. It was performed on December 27, 2006. Turner died at Huntsville Hospital.
The bullet that killed Thurston Turner entered near his mouth and exited his back. That bullet lead to brain death.
Tank Beavers blood alcohol level was .10 at the time of his death.
Court is in recess until Monday morning.
Kemeyttya(sp) Summers took the stand to say that she met up with Jamal Woods in the hours after the shooting to purchase cocaine from him.
Currently Norman Rogers is on the stand. He was with Jamal Woods, when police arrested Woods in the early morning hours of December 18, 2006. Rogers asked to hear his taped interview with police. So the jury has been sent out of the courtroom.
Jury is now back. Norman Rogers is testifying again. He says Jamal Woods told him that he had shot some people that night. At that point, he says he told Woods to not tell him anymore.
They are playing more of Rogers recorded interview with police. The jury has left again.
Norman Rogers has finished his testimony.
Investigator David Owens has been called back to the stand. No doubt to clear up some of the testimony of Normal Rogers for the prosecution.
Court is in recess until 1pm.
Bobby Berryhill, Madison County Coroner, took the stand for all of five minutes. He testified that he pronounced Tank Beavers dead at the scene on the night of the shooting.
Court is in recess until 2pm, while the prosecution awaits another witness.
Dr. Adel Shaker is on the stand. He works for the Alabama Department of Forensic Science. He performed autopsies on the victims. He first performed an autopsy on Tank Beavers on the morning of December 18, 2006.
The jury is about to look at pictures taken of Tank Beavers autopsy.
Shaker says Beavers was shot in the corner of his right eye. The bullet exited from the back of his head, traveled across the bar area of TGI Fridays and hit Tim Reliford in the face.
Shaker is now speaking about the autopsy performed on Thurston Turner. It was performed on December 27, 2006. Turner died at Huntsville Hospital.
The bullet that killed Thurston Turner entered near his mouth and exited his back. That bullet lead to brain death.
Tank Beavers blood alcohol level was .10 at the time of his death.
Court is in recess until Monday morning.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Testimony, Day Four
Testimony is underway again in the trial. Currently, Danny Lamont is on the stand. He retired from the Huntsville Police Department in October of 2008. He is a finger print expert. In fact, he worked for the FBI in the fingerprint division.
Lamont is speaking about the intricate details of how fingerprints work.
This could be titled, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Fingerprints, but Were Afraid to Ask."
Lamont is showing the jurors how he compared fingerprints in this case.
Lamont says fingerprints found at the scene and on the murder weapon, match those of Jamal Woods. The defense had no questions for Lamont.
Tosha Shoulders, the first cousin of Tank Beavers is on the stand.
She says Beavers wanted a career in the NBA. He also wanted to take care of his family.
Thurston Turner's father, Wyman Turner, is on the stand.
Thurston Turner died nine days after the shooting.
Turner was 27 at the time of his death. Wyman Turner says that he had conversations with his son while he was in the hospital. He says that Thurston only responded by moving his eyebrows.
He says Thurston reminded him of himself. Says he loved to played baseball and was good at almost every sport.
Mr. Turner says that at one time while he was speaking to Thurston, that a tear rolled down his face. He says he knows Thurston was hearing what they were saying to him. But toward the end he stopped responding when they spoke to him, so they asked doctors to remove the life support.
After a break, Jason Banks, a neuro-surgeon who treated Thurston Turner, is on the stand. He determined that he was clinically brain dead.
The defense just entered into evidence, a lab report that lists Thurston Turner's blood alcohol level as .161 at the time of the shooting. The legal level is .08.
James Rucker, HPD officer with the K-9 unit is on the stand. The prosecutor and Mr. Rucker are going over the qualification process for dogs in the K-9 unit, including his dog.
Officer Rucker responded to the scene of the shooting. He used his dog to start tracking suspects.
Court is in recess.
HPD Officer Chad Bryant is on the stand. He assisted James Rucker on the night of the shooting.
Chauncey Davis is on the stand. He went to TGI Fridays with Jamal Woods on the night of the shooting.
Davis is under cross examination. Larry Morgan is asking him if he remembers conversations that took place in the moments before the shooting.
Rotesia Woods, the wife of Jamal Woods is on the stand.
She was with Jamal the night of the shooting. She is the person Tank Beavers reportedly waved hello to in the restaurant.
She says Jamal asked her why Tank was waving. She said that she told Jamal that she knew them from school. She says Jamal yelled at Tank Beavers to turn the f*ck around.
She says Jamal did not understand why they were waving at her.
She says she did not see Jamal pull a weapon, and was instead trying to get his friends to go up and get Jamal. She says she then hear four or five gunshots.
Rotesia says that Jamal had a girlfriend at the time of the shooting.
Lamont is speaking about the intricate details of how fingerprints work.
This could be titled, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Fingerprints, but Were Afraid to Ask."
Lamont is showing the jurors how he compared fingerprints in this case.
Lamont says fingerprints found at the scene and on the murder weapon, match those of Jamal Woods. The defense had no questions for Lamont.
Tosha Shoulders, the first cousin of Tank Beavers is on the stand.
She says Beavers wanted a career in the NBA. He also wanted to take care of his family.
Thurston Turner's father, Wyman Turner, is on the stand.
Thurston Turner died nine days after the shooting.
Turner was 27 at the time of his death. Wyman Turner says that he had conversations with his son while he was in the hospital. He says that Thurston only responded by moving his eyebrows.
He says Thurston reminded him of himself. Says he loved to played baseball and was good at almost every sport.
Mr. Turner says that at one time while he was speaking to Thurston, that a tear rolled down his face. He says he knows Thurston was hearing what they were saying to him. But toward the end he stopped responding when they spoke to him, so they asked doctors to remove the life support.
After a break, Jason Banks, a neuro-surgeon who treated Thurston Turner, is on the stand. He determined that he was clinically brain dead.
The defense just entered into evidence, a lab report that lists Thurston Turner's blood alcohol level as .161 at the time of the shooting. The legal level is .08.
James Rucker, HPD officer with the K-9 unit is on the stand. The prosecutor and Mr. Rucker are going over the qualification process for dogs in the K-9 unit, including his dog.
Officer Rucker responded to the scene of the shooting. He used his dog to start tracking suspects.
Court is in recess.
HPD Officer Chad Bryant is on the stand. He assisted James Rucker on the night of the shooting.
Chauncey Davis is on the stand. He went to TGI Fridays with Jamal Woods on the night of the shooting.
Davis is under cross examination. Larry Morgan is asking him if he remembers conversations that took place in the moments before the shooting.
Rotesia Woods, the wife of Jamal Woods is on the stand.
She was with Jamal the night of the shooting. She is the person Tank Beavers reportedly waved hello to in the restaurant.
She says Jamal asked her why Tank was waving. She said that she told Jamal that she knew them from school. She says Jamal yelled at Tank Beavers to turn the f*ck around.
She says Jamal did not understand why they were waving at her.
She says she did not see Jamal pull a weapon, and was instead trying to get his friends to go up and get Jamal. She says she then hear four or five gunshots.
Rotesia says that Jamal had a girlfriend at the time of the shooting.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Testimony, Day Three
Another witness, a customer inside TGI Fridays is first on the stand this morning. His name is Shawn. None of the reporters here could catch a last name. It would be really helpful to us if the witnesses would spell out their names when they sit down. I think helpful to the jury as well, since many of them are taking down notes.
He says Jamal Woods was wearing a black shirt that said, "Who's the Boss?" He says this made Woods stand out when he came in.
We believe his name is Shawn Gatlin.
Larry Morgan, defense attorney, on cross-examination, began reading the same transcript from yesterday to Gatlin. It's a transcript of what was supposedly said between Jamal Woods and Tank Beavers. Morgan read it several times yesterday to witnesses to ask if they heard any of this exchange. The prosecution objected to this being read, because Gatlin said he heard no words that were exchanged. Judge Hamitlon sent the jury out, and then decided Morgan can continue to read this transcript.
Josh McCulley is on the stand now. He was on a first date on the night of the shooting at TGI Fridays. When the prosecutor asked McCully if he was still dating the girl, he responded, "Nooooooo!", and the courtroom filled with laughter. He said when he saw the shots fire, he got up and ran.
Shooting victim Tim Reliford is on the stand.
Reliford was a waiter at another restaurant at the time of the shooting. He had stopped by TGI Fridays after work.
He had ordered a beer, and was about to order dinner, when he was shot. Reliford was actually hit in the face, by the same bullet that killed Tank Beavers.
He said there was a lot of noise in the bar at the time of the shooting. He was sitting there. Took a sip of his beer. And turned to talk to a lady next to him and heard a pop and all of a sudden he saw a puff of smoke. His eyes water and the next thing he was was chair legs.
When he hit the floor, he says blood started filling his eyes and he felt a sting. He says his ears were ringing badly. He was shot on the left side of his face.
Reliford is showing his injuries to the jury.
Court is in recess.
Court is back in session. Tim Reliford is under cross-examination.
"Tory" Rogers is on the stand now. He was also a victim during the shootings.
Rogers says he heard Jamal Woods say, "What the F*ck are you doing talking to my wife?" He says Tank Beavers responded, "That is my MF cousin."
Rogers says he saw Thurston Turner on the floor, with blood coming out of his mouth. And he heard Tasha Lucas saying, "Tank is dead! Tank is dead!"
Rogers was shot in the back and eventually passed out.
He remembers thinking that he would not be alive to see his new baby born.
Rogers was in the hospital 31 days.
Court is in recess until 1:15
Court is back in session. Tory Rogers is still on the stand being cross-examined.
Roger's testimony contradicts other testimony as to where everyone was sitting in the restaurant during the shooting.
Ebonee Coffman is on the stand. She called police to tell them where Jamal Woods was hiding.
Harold Hutchison is now on the stand. He is a retired crime scene investigator for HPD. He worked the scene on December 17, 2006.
Hutchison says he found the body of Tank Beavers lying on the floor, with a pool of blood under his head. The three other victims had been taken to the hospital.
Sorry for the delay. We have been in a break in testimony. Harold Hutchison is still on the stand.
There is some sort of dispute about whether or not the jury should be allowed to see photos of the crime scene. The jury has been sent to the jury room while this is worked out.
We are still waiting. I am going to have to leave soon to go back to the station and get ready for WHNT NewsChannel 19 at Five.
He says Jamal Woods was wearing a black shirt that said, "Who's the Boss?" He says this made Woods stand out when he came in.
We believe his name is Shawn Gatlin.
Larry Morgan, defense attorney, on cross-examination, began reading the same transcript from yesterday to Gatlin. It's a transcript of what was supposedly said between Jamal Woods and Tank Beavers. Morgan read it several times yesterday to witnesses to ask if they heard any of this exchange. The prosecution objected to this being read, because Gatlin said he heard no words that were exchanged. Judge Hamitlon sent the jury out, and then decided Morgan can continue to read this transcript.
Josh McCulley is on the stand now. He was on a first date on the night of the shooting at TGI Fridays. When the prosecutor asked McCully if he was still dating the girl, he responded, "Nooooooo!", and the courtroom filled with laughter. He said when he saw the shots fire, he got up and ran.
Shooting victim Tim Reliford is on the stand.
Reliford was a waiter at another restaurant at the time of the shooting. He had stopped by TGI Fridays after work.
He had ordered a beer, and was about to order dinner, when he was shot. Reliford was actually hit in the face, by the same bullet that killed Tank Beavers.
He said there was a lot of noise in the bar at the time of the shooting. He was sitting there. Took a sip of his beer. And turned to talk to a lady next to him and heard a pop and all of a sudden he saw a puff of smoke. His eyes water and the next thing he was was chair legs.
When he hit the floor, he says blood started filling his eyes and he felt a sting. He says his ears were ringing badly. He was shot on the left side of his face.
Reliford is showing his injuries to the jury.
Court is in recess.
Court is back in session. Tim Reliford is under cross-examination.
"Tory" Rogers is on the stand now. He was also a victim during the shootings.
Rogers says he heard Jamal Woods say, "What the F*ck are you doing talking to my wife?" He says Tank Beavers responded, "That is my MF cousin."
Rogers says he saw Thurston Turner on the floor, with blood coming out of his mouth. And he heard Tasha Lucas saying, "Tank is dead! Tank is dead!"
Rogers was shot in the back and eventually passed out.
He remembers thinking that he would not be alive to see his new baby born.
Rogers was in the hospital 31 days.
Court is in recess until 1:15
Court is back in session. Tory Rogers is still on the stand being cross-examined.
Roger's testimony contradicts other testimony as to where everyone was sitting in the restaurant during the shooting.
Ebonee Coffman is on the stand. She called police to tell them where Jamal Woods was hiding.
Harold Hutchison is now on the stand. He is a retired crime scene investigator for HPD. He worked the scene on December 17, 2006.
Hutchison says he found the body of Tank Beavers lying on the floor, with a pool of blood under his head. The three other victims had been taken to the hospital.
Sorry for the delay. We have been in a break in testimony. Harold Hutchison is still on the stand.
There is some sort of dispute about whether or not the jury should be allowed to see photos of the crime scene. The jury has been sent to the jury room while this is worked out.
We are still waiting. I am going to have to leave soon to go back to the station and get ready for WHNT NewsChannel 19 at Five.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Testimony, Day Two
Britani Ford, who went to eat at TGI Fridays the night of the shooting is now on the stand. She says Jamal Woods parked next to her in the parking lot.
Ford is being shown security camera video from the entrance area of the restaurant.
Ford was inside Fridays when the shooting took place. She says she froze when she heard the first shot. She then got under a table.
Gary Glass is now on the stand. He was in Huntsville on business on the day of the shooting. He and a co-worker were inside TGI Fridays during the shooting.
Glass says he heard the shots and heard people screaming. Says he was praying to God to save his life. He was on his stomach crawling and thought everyone was going to be shot. He helped some of the survivors after the shooting.
Glass says he heard Jamal Woods and his wife bickering before the shooting.
The Defense is trying to raise doubt in the jury's mind about how well Glass remembers what happened.
The defense continues to hammer Glass and his recollections of what happened that night.
After a long break, Will Moody has taken the stand. He is the co-worker of Gary Glass and was also in TGI Fridays during the shooting.
He says he noticed Jamal Woods and his wife fighting before the shooting. He says he saw Woods walk to the bar area of the restaurant and shoot. He then hit the floor and hid under the table.
Moody and Glass were sitting at a table directly next to Woods and his wife.
Defense Attorney Morgan is reading a transcript of what Woods and his wife supposedly were saying to each other and asking Moody if he could hear any of it.
Tasha Lucas who was with victim Tank Beavers is now on the stand. She is the second cousin of Beavers and the first cousin of Thurston Turner.
Lucas said Jamal yelled to his wife, "Is Tank your cousin?" Woods wife "lowered her head and said no." The shooting happened right after that.
I have to admit to being a little confused. Sometimes Jamal Woods is referred to having a wife during the shooting and sometimes she is referred to as his girlfriend.
Court is in recess until 1:15.
Tasha Lucas is back on the stand. She is being cross examined by Alan Mann.
Tasha Lucas says she knows guns. And recognized the gun Jamal Woods used as a 9mm. She says she shoots guns on New Year's Eve and on the Fourth of July.
She says she heard, "pow, pow, pow, pow!"
Tasha Lucas is still on the stand being cross-examined. Defense is questioning how well Lucas memory is of the events that happened two years ago. And whether statements to police contradict.
A TGI Fridays waiter, identified as only Adam, is on the stand. Says he heard a pop inside the restaurant and ducked down and then looked up. Heard the pop come from the bar. Saw someone shooting a gun. He then ran to the kitchen. Says he saw that the gun was a black 9mm.
He saw a car with a pinstripe leaving and heading east on Highway 72.
There doesn't seem to be any question that the witnesses saw what they saw. But the defense seems to be attempting get the witnesses to stumble on their words or have seem unsure about things like gun types.
Matt Phillips, a HEMSI paramedic is on the stand. Phillips is talking about efforts to save Thurston Turner from his gunshot wound to the back. He says Turner lost a pulse while lying on the floor of TGI Fridays. They started IVs and got his pulse back. Turner died nine days later at Huntsville Hospital.
Terrance Williams is now on the stand. He was with Tank Beavers and Thurston Turner on the night of the shooting. He says Woods walked up to the area where Tank Beavers was sitting. He says Woods asked his girlfriend if he knew Tank and when she said no, Woods said, "Homie, I don't play that," and then began shooting.
Judge Hamilton just made Larry Morgan stop asking Williams about a conversation between Woods and his wife, after Williams said he had not heard any of what they said.
Brent Fartesi, a witness inside TGI Fridays is on the stand. He is giving basically the same testimony the other witnesses have given throughout the day. Said he heard someone cry, "I can't believe he shot him."
I have left the courtroom to get ready for the WHNT NewsChannel 19 at Five.
Ford is being shown security camera video from the entrance area of the restaurant.
Ford was inside Fridays when the shooting took place. She says she froze when she heard the first shot. She then got under a table.
Gary Glass is now on the stand. He was in Huntsville on business on the day of the shooting. He and a co-worker were inside TGI Fridays during the shooting.
Glass says he heard the shots and heard people screaming. Says he was praying to God to save his life. He was on his stomach crawling and thought everyone was going to be shot. He helped some of the survivors after the shooting.
Glass says he heard Jamal Woods and his wife bickering before the shooting.
The Defense is trying to raise doubt in the jury's mind about how well Glass remembers what happened.
The defense continues to hammer Glass and his recollections of what happened that night.
After a long break, Will Moody has taken the stand. He is the co-worker of Gary Glass and was also in TGI Fridays during the shooting.
He says he noticed Jamal Woods and his wife fighting before the shooting. He says he saw Woods walk to the bar area of the restaurant and shoot. He then hit the floor and hid under the table.
Moody and Glass were sitting at a table directly next to Woods and his wife.
Defense Attorney Morgan is reading a transcript of what Woods and his wife supposedly were saying to each other and asking Moody if he could hear any of it.
Tasha Lucas who was with victim Tank Beavers is now on the stand. She is the second cousin of Beavers and the first cousin of Thurston Turner.
Lucas said Jamal yelled to his wife, "Is Tank your cousin?" Woods wife "lowered her head and said no." The shooting happened right after that.
I have to admit to being a little confused. Sometimes Jamal Woods is referred to having a wife during the shooting and sometimes she is referred to as his girlfriend.
Court is in recess until 1:15.
Tasha Lucas is back on the stand. She is being cross examined by Alan Mann.
Tasha Lucas says she knows guns. And recognized the gun Jamal Woods used as a 9mm. She says she shoots guns on New Year's Eve and on the Fourth of July.
She says she heard, "pow, pow, pow, pow!"
Tasha Lucas is still on the stand being cross-examined. Defense is questioning how well Lucas memory is of the events that happened two years ago. And whether statements to police contradict.
A TGI Fridays waiter, identified as only Adam, is on the stand. Says he heard a pop inside the restaurant and ducked down and then looked up. Heard the pop come from the bar. Saw someone shooting a gun. He then ran to the kitchen. Says he saw that the gun was a black 9mm.
He saw a car with a pinstripe leaving and heading east on Highway 72.
There doesn't seem to be any question that the witnesses saw what they saw. But the defense seems to be attempting get the witnesses to stumble on their words or have seem unsure about things like gun types.
Matt Phillips, a HEMSI paramedic is on the stand. Phillips is talking about efforts to save Thurston Turner from his gunshot wound to the back. He says Turner lost a pulse while lying on the floor of TGI Fridays. They started IVs and got his pulse back. Turner died nine days later at Huntsville Hospital.
Terrance Williams is now on the stand. He was with Tank Beavers and Thurston Turner on the night of the shooting. He says Woods walked up to the area where Tank Beavers was sitting. He says Woods asked his girlfriend if he knew Tank and when she said no, Woods said, "Homie, I don't play that," and then began shooting.
Judge Hamilton just made Larry Morgan stop asking Williams about a conversation between Woods and his wife, after Williams said he had not heard any of what they said.
Brent Fartesi, a witness inside TGI Fridays is on the stand. He is giving basically the same testimony the other witnesses have given throughout the day. Said he heard someone cry, "I can't believe he shot him."
I have left the courtroom to get ready for the WHNT NewsChannel 19 at Five.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Testimony, Day One
Testimony in the Jamal Woods trial is underway.
A jury was finally seated this morning. The jury is made up of 10 women and six men. There are four African American women on the jury. 12 members of this group will be the jury, the other four are alternates.
So far, two witnesses have taken the stand for the prosecution. Gerald Turner, who is a Huntsville Police Officer. He was the first officer on the scene to TGI Friday's on the night of the shooting in December of 2006. He gave the jury an account of what he did after arriving on the scene.
Witness number two, Melissa Bozeman, HEMSI paramedic. She is describing the wounds she found at the scene. She says Tank Beavers was a "Priority Zero," which means he was dead at the scene.
She also treated Thurston Turner at the restaurant, as well as Tim Reliford, who was shot in the face by the same bullet that killed Tank Beavers. Reliford was able to recover.
Warren Foy is on the stand now. He also worked for Hemsi in December of 2006 and responded to TGI Fridays.
We are currently in a recess that has lasted 30 minutes while we wait on another witness.
Gordon Bigelow. He is the Genergal Manager at a TFI Fridays in Tennessee. He was the GM at the TGI Fridays in Huntsville on the day of the shooting. He was not at the store when the shooting happened, but he helped HPD get the store's video recordings of the shootings.
HPD investigator David Owens in now on the stand. He viewed the restaurant's video of the shooting. He is also the chief investigator of the shooting.
Owens is still be cross examined by the defense. From the questons the defense is asking, it seems they are trying to make the jury believe the videos have been altered in some way.
Lisa Hamilton is now on the stand. She is an investigator for HPD.
A jury was finally seated this morning. The jury is made up of 10 women and six men. There are four African American women on the jury. 12 members of this group will be the jury, the other four are alternates.
So far, two witnesses have taken the stand for the prosecution. Gerald Turner, who is a Huntsville Police Officer. He was the first officer on the scene to TGI Friday's on the night of the shooting in December of 2006. He gave the jury an account of what he did after arriving on the scene.
Witness number two, Melissa Bozeman, HEMSI paramedic. She is describing the wounds she found at the scene. She says Tank Beavers was a "Priority Zero," which means he was dead at the scene.
She also treated Thurston Turner at the restaurant, as well as Tim Reliford, who was shot in the face by the same bullet that killed Tank Beavers. Reliford was able to recover.
Warren Foy is on the stand now. He also worked for Hemsi in December of 2006 and responded to TGI Fridays.
We are currently in a recess that has lasted 30 minutes while we wait on another witness.
Gordon Bigelow. He is the Genergal Manager at a TFI Fridays in Tennessee. He was the GM at the TGI Fridays in Huntsville on the day of the shooting. He was not at the store when the shooting happened, but he helped HPD get the store's video recordings of the shootings.
HPD investigator David Owens in now on the stand. He viewed the restaurant's video of the shooting. He is also the chief investigator of the shooting.
Owens is still be cross examined by the defense. From the questons the defense is asking, it seems they are trying to make the jury believe the videos have been altered in some way.
Lisa Hamilton is now on the stand. She is an investigator for HPD.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)