Jury to examine evidence in 2006 murder
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on April 13, 2010 1:46 PM
A jury was selected Monday in the murder trial of William Earl Bandy, who is accused of shooting and killing a 31-year-old Dudley man in March 2006.
Judge Paul Jones, the senior resident judge in Lenoir County, is presiding over the case in Wayne County Superior Court.
Bandy stands accused of shooting into the vehicle of Frederick A. Coleman of Hopesway Drive. Coleman had been traveling south just before 3 p.m. on South Alabama Avenue near West Spruce Street when he was shot. His car careened off the left side of the road, striking a fire hydrant at Whitted Court.
Police spokesman Sgt. Chad Calloway said he could not comment on the case, because he is a witness in the trial.
"We're all sequestered and not supposed to talk about it," Calloway said. "They believe everything will be done this week, so hopefully everything will get answered within that time frame."
The shooting victim was originally taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where doctors stabilized him. He was then transferred to Pitt County Memorial Hospital where he died.
A passenger of Bandy's, Alicia Brown, told police that she saw a man run up to the side of the car, owned by Chris M. Leonard, Coleman's housemate.
The 17-year-old car was demolished when it hit the fire hydrant, police said at the time, and estimated the damages at $1,500.
The man spoke to Coleman, then shot him, according to police records filed at the time.
Police have never revealed a motive for the shooting.
Both Bandy and Coleman had long criminal records at the time.