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Witness testimony could play a role in Wilmington murder case

On Behalf of | Jun 1, 2012 | Weapons Crimes |

An alleged gang member is in police custody in Wilmington, accused of a violent crime. The man is accused of shooting a 22-year-old unarmed man after a fight. The claimed violent crime led to a single count of first-degree murder.

The incident occurred outside of a hair salon on May 12 after a fight began between the victim, the suspect and “at least two other men.” The victim was attending a party when he was supposedly confronted by men in a vehicle. The parties were not strangers, and it is alleged that there had been problems in the past between them. The encounter escalated into a physical fight when it is believed that a minimum of two men began to shoot at the victim. He was struck three times and died.

Police have been attempting to investigate the death, and the arrest of the reputed gang member appears to be an important development in their case. A second man has been charged with murder as well, although he is still missing. Proving who did what and when may be difficult, and prosecutors will need a lot more than police theories in order to gain a conviction in court.

Witness testimony and forensics testing are often key factors in proving a violent crime. In this situation, it is estimated that approximately 100 people were in the area where the shooting occurred, and since witness testimony is often unreliable, there may be multiple versions of what allegedly occurred. This could make it difficult for investigators to determine what actually happened.

In this case as in any serious criminal case, it is important that those accused of a crime understand their rights and options. First-degree murder is a serious charge that comes with serious consequences. In order to avoid them or perhaps obtain a more lenient sentence, it is necessary to investigate all aspects of a case. If witness testimonies can be proven to be faulty or inconsistent, it could go a long way toward helping a defendant’s case.

Source: StarNewsOnline.com, “Suspect arrested in Wilmington murder case,” Brian Freskos, May 15, 2012

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