Jury to begin deliberations in Quincy Allen murder trial

Defendant Quincy Allen sits at the table during the his trial last week.

With final testimony early today from the lead investigator in the murder of La’Quan Dunbar, prosecutors rested their case in the trial of Quincy Allen.

Allen, 22, of 1343 Oak Hill Ct., is charged in Lucas County Common Pleas Court with two counts of murder and one count of participating in a criminal gang for the April 19 death of Mr. Dunbar, 20, who was fatally shot in the back of the head at the Gas & Express Mart, 2315 N. Detroit Ave.

The jury was to begin its deliberations this afternoon.

In closing arguments, defense attorney Phil Carlisle told the jury the state had not proven its case, that the evidence presented pointed to witness Marlon Powell as the man who started a fight with Mr. Dunbar and finished it with a gunshot.

Mr. Powell, who left town with the assistance of Toledo police, could not be located for Allen’s trial and did not take the stand, although statements he gave to police were played for the jury. During a second interview with police, he said that when he heard a gunshot at the gas station that night, he looked around and saw Allen standing over Mr. Dunbar with a gun.

Mr. Carlisle pointed out that Mr. Powell did not tell police this account until he himself had been charged with aggravated rioting and jailed for two weeks. That charge was dismissed, he said, after police saw him to the bus station and safely out of town.

Prosecutors contend Allen killed Mr. Dunbar, who was a member of the Moody Manor Boyz gang, out of revenge for the 2012 killing of Allen’s younger brother, Deontae Allen, by a member of the Manor Boyz.

Ian English, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor, told the jury in closing arguments that the state’s case was largely circumstantial, but that the evidence was overwhelming, that several witnesses who had to be arrested to come to court to testify did so, and their testimony pointed to Allen.

“Quincy Allen murdered La’Quan Dunbar,” Mr. English said. “One thing you can’t do, ladies and gentlemen, in a case like this is to make reason from the unreasonable, to bring sense to the senseless.”