Jury begins deliberations in murder trial
By Melody Brown-Peyton
Published in News on March 27, 2018 2:59 PM
A Wayne County jury is deliberating the fate of Timothy Jerome Midgette in the first-degree murder trial of Laquan Devon Pearsall today.
Midgette, 25, is on trial for the murder of Pearsall, who was shot and killed in the back parking lot of the Jefferson Court Apartments on Sept. 17, 2011.
Midgette emerged as a suspect in 2013 during the trial of Antonio Jamar Seaberry, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed robbery in the case.
During Seaberry's trial, Midgette, called as a witness, testified that he and Seaberry never plotted together to rob Pearsall.
Under cross examination, Midgette placed himself in the victim's car, he admitted to having the cell phone from which Seaberry received several texts discussing the robbery and to having been with the ex-girlfriend, who testified that Midgette told her he killed Pearsall.
Seaberry has admitted to his role in the robbery but has always maintained that Midgette was the one who pulled the trigger.
Midgette's trial began last week, with witnesses testifying in the case. Defense attorney Walter Webster presented closing arguments Monday.
The jury started deliberations today and will continue this afternoon.
The victim's mother, Tamico Richardson, told the Goldsboro News-Argus that a guilty verdict will began the healing process.
"My son was a good person," Richardson said Monday. "He was a respectable person. He was a hard-working man. He had a job."
Richardson said testimonies during the trial have led to sleepless nights.
"It's like I'm a walking zombie," she said.