Two facing charges in 2012 murder
By John Joyce
Published in News on September 7, 2014 1:50 AM
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Stephon Deandre Jennings
Javonta Marquez Ellis
Jurors will return Monday to Wayne County Superior Court to finish hearing the case of Stephon Deandre Jennings, 19, and Javonta Marquez Ellis, 17, who are charged with first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon in the 2012 shooting death of Kevin Bell, 34.
If convicted, the two teens could potentially face life sentences.
Both the prosecution and the defense have had their hands full, dealing with issues like gangs, guns, drugs -- evidence missed by crime scene investigators only to be found later during autopsy -- as well as evidence going untested by forensic analysts.
Before the case began, two jurors had already been dismissed and a mistrial had been narrowly avoided by the prosecution.
Defense attorney Mary Darrow, representing Jennings, the alleged shooter, and Charles Gurley, representing Ellis, each claim their respective client is innocent.
Gurley used his opening statement to deny his client was at the scene of the crime.
Ms. Darrow said in her opening statements she realizes the loss of life is a tragedy and the victim's family is seeking justice, but she, too, wants justice for her client.
Both attorneys claim there was an initial suspect, Nebraska Best, whom the police ruled out before arriving at their clients as suspects, and that it is possible Best is the guilty party and not Jennings or Ellis.
Best is currently in jail awaiting trial on a separate murder case.
Assistant District Attorney Mike Ricks began presenting his case Wednesday, calling to the stand the state's first witness, Travis James.
James testified he was with Bell, and a third man, Brandon Leach, on June 14, 2012.
The three men spent the evening at a homemade music studio on Hinson Street, then drove to the 900 block of Slaughter Street in the Lincoln Homes projects.
It was just past midnight and the three men stood outside their cars talking. Two men approached on foot from the direction of Lincoln Drive. The men passed Bell and his friends, exchanged greetings, and continued on.
James testified the men then turned around, said "Y'all know what it is," and attempted to rob the them.
Jennings allegedly pulled a gun from his hip and said the words, "Give it up." The gun discharged.
Bell, Leach and James all ran in different directions.
James said he ran to his sister's apartment across the street and told her to call the police and that someone was trying to kill him and his friends.
He then ran back outside and did not see Bell anywhere, so he ran to the end of Slaughter Street calling his name.
As he came back down the street he found Bell, lying in the grass in front of one of the apartments.
Bell died before help arrived.
James would later be shown two photo arrays by investigators, the first the morning of the murder and the second the day after. From the second photo line-up, James identified Jennings.
Testimony will resume Monday at 10 a.m. in Courtroom 1 of the Wayne County Courthouse.