Forensic scientist testifies in Moody Manor trial

7/1/2013

Gunshot residue was found on a black-hooded sweatshirt and a red Nike T-shirt worn by one of two men on trial in the shooting death of a 1-year-old girl at the Moody Manor apartments, a forensic scientist testified today.

Martin Lewis, who works in the trace evidence section of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, took the stand in Lucas County Common Pleas Court in the trial of Keshawn Jennings and Antwaine Jones. He said he analyzed four articles of clothing taken from the suspects and found evidence of gunshot residue on two of them.

Surveillance video from the Moody Manor shown to the jury last week shows Mr. Jennings entering an apartment building that night wearing a red T-shirt emblazoned with the Nike slogan “Just Do It” in white letters. The video also shows him exiting the building just before the shooting occurred wearing a black hooded sweatshirt over the red shirt.

The jury today also was shown a portion of a four-hour interview conducted last August between Mr. Jennings and Toledo Police Det. Kermit Quinn. In the tape, Mr. Jennings, who coincidentally is wearing the same red shirt, admits that’s him in the red T-shirt going upstairs, but he insists he had nothing to do with the shooting that night.

Prosecutors contend the two men along with James Moore, who is not on trial, shot into an apartment at the housing complex where they believed a rival gang member was inside, but mistakenly fired into the wrong apartment killing 1-year-old Keondra Hooks and wounding her 2-year-old sister, Leondra, who were asleep on the floor.

Mr. Jennings, 21, of 244 Wasaon St., and Mr. Jones, 19, of 3145 Cottage Ave., each are charged with aggravated murder, murder, improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation, attempted murder, and four counts of felonious assault, each with gun specifications. They face life in prison if convicted.

Moore, who testified against them last week, is expected to plead to manslaughter in exchange for a three-year prison sentence.

The trial, which began June 24, is entering its second week.