Santory Johnson
Prosecutor Cameron Williams told a Criminal Court jury on Thursday that Santory Johnson is guilty of first-degree murder in the Oct. 4, 2013, slaying of Christopher "CJ" Jones in Alton Park.
However, defense attorney Amanda Dunn said a heated argument led to the slaying and it was not premeditated.
The jury in the courtroom of Judge Tom Greenholtz was to begin deliberations in the afternoon.
The defense put on no proof after the state closed on Wednesday afternoon.
Witnesses said Jones was at the Santory residence on 40th Street at a party involving gambling and music when Jones started to leave upset. They said Johnson fired a shot in the air near a car occupied by Jones' grandmother, girlfriend and cousin.
The witnesses said Jones later returned and again got into it with Johnson.
Two eyewitnesses said Johnson went over to the Ford Taurus where Jones was sitting and shot him from the passenger side and again from the driver's side. Prosecutor Williams said the victim was shot five or six times.
He said of Jones, "It was not the best decision for him to come back. But he didn't come back to do any harm. He was unarmed. He came back to the wrong man, and he died for it."
Kristen Spires, another prosecutor in the case, said a shell casing was found in the rear seat on the passenger side and others by the driver's side. She said that matched up with wounds the victim received.
She said Johnson fled after the incident and was not caught until four days later.
Ms. Dunn said one of the state eyewitnesses, Rodney Southers, is facing a lengthy sentence in Federal Court and did not come forward until early this year. She said, "He is looking to save his own skin."
She said Johnson "immediately apologized" after firing the gun in the air and others at the party initially thought the two were playing around.