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Defense Rests In Sir Mario Owens Death Penalty Trial
Closing Statements To Begin Thursday
POSTED: 10:34 am MDT May 6,
2008
UPDATED: 7:14 pm MDT May 6,
2008
CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- After just two days of testimony, defense attorneys have rested their case in the Arapahoe County trial of a man accused of killing two people, including a witness who was scheduled to testify against him.The prosecution was calling rebuttal witnesses Tuesday morning. There is no court on Wednesday so opposing sides will then present closing arguments on Thursday morning before the case goes to the jury.Javad Marshall-Fields and his fiancee, Vivian Wolfe, were ambushed in his car in June 2005, just days before he was scheduled to testify in the murder trial of Greg Vann.
The defense argued there was no eyewitness to the shooting and the prosecution witnesses altered their testimony in exchange for plea bargains. The prosecution's key witnesses all have criminal records and shaped their stories to please prosecutors, defense attorneys said.Owens never testified on his own behalf.After the defense rested, prosecutors brought back a final prosecution witness who told jurors that after the couple was killed, he heard of a plan by Owens and his friends to hold a celebration.Owens is already serving a life sentence for Vann's murder. Both Vann and Marshall-Fields were shot at Lowry Park in Aurora on July 4, 2004. Marshall-Fields survived the shooting and vowed to testify against Owens, even though he had been threatened and a bounty had been placed on his head, prosecutors said.Marshall-Fields' mother has been in court during most of the trial, She told 7NEWS that with deliberations getting close, she "can see the little light at the end of the tunnel.""I just don't really understand the mentality or the mindset of anyone that's going to commit murder," Rhonda Fields said.The judge ruled Tuesday that once deliberations begin the jury will not be sequestered so they will be able to go home each night. If Owens is convicted of first-degree murder, jurors will decide if he should be sentenced to death.
Previous Stories:
- May 2, 2008: Owens Murder Case Moving Faster Than Expected
- May 1, 2008: Prosecution In Owens' Trial Wraps Up With Victim's Mother
- April 28, 2008: Jurors Cry Hearing Testimony
- April 25, 2008: Family Says Witness Died 'Doing The Right Thing'
- April 21, 2008: Victims' Mothers Leave Courtroom In Tears
- April 8, 2008: Prosecutor: Suspect's Motto Was 'You Snitch, You Die'
- March 11, 2008: Death Penalty Trial Begins In Witness Intimidation Case
- April 3, 2007: Sir Mario Owens Gets Life In Prison For Shooting Death
- February 22, 2007: Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty In Witness' Murder
- February 9, 2007: Man Charged In Witness Slayings Sentenced In Park Shooting
- January 30, 2007: Jury Finds Owens Guilty Of Murder In 4th Of July Shooting
- January 26, 2007: Jurors Deliberate 4th Of July Murder Case
- November 3, 2006: Robert Ray Gets Mixed Verdict
- November 2, 2006: Jury Deliberates In Robert Ray Murder Trial
- October 31, 2006: Trial Comes To Close In 2004 Killing
- March 13, 2006: Men Accused In Witness Slaying Appear In Court
- March 9, 2006: Three Indicted In Aurora Ambush Slayings
- December 29, 2005: Suspect In Triple Shooting Back In Colorado
- December 12, 2005: Triple Shooting Suspect Has Extradition Hearing In Louisiana
- November 7, 2005: Arrest Made In Lory Park Slaying, Shootings
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