Murder defendant pleads self-defense
7/9/2003Having just been beaten up in his own home, Larey Anderson thought he was still in danger when he stabbed Adrian Solomon in the doorway of his Old West End home in March, Mr. Anderson's defense attorney told a jury yesterday.
Mr. Anderson, 51, of 3021 Parkwood Ave., is on trial in Lucas County Common Pleas Court for the March 12 murder of Mr. Solomon, 39, of 2242 Maplewood Ave.
Spiros Cocoves, Mr. Anderson's attorney, told the jury his client acted in self-defense.
“Mr. Solomon had already given Mr. Anderson a terrific beating in his own home,” Mr. Cocovos said.
But Gary Cook, an assistant county prosecutor, said Mr. Solomon had left Mr. Anderson's home after a fight that had occurred during a party, and any threat he may have posed was over.
“In the end, the defendant will not meet the burden of self-defense,” Mr. Cook told the jury.
During his opening statement, Mr. Cook said Mr. Solomon was given a ride to Mr. Anderson's house so they could have a small party with about five people. He said the group went upstairs to a room that Mr. Anderson called “the boom-boom room” to drink beer and smoke crack and marijuana.
He said Mr. Solomon's girlfriend, Shalaunda Jordan, had knocked over a shelf in Mr. Anderson's room, and a fight ensued between the men.
After the fight, Mr. Anderson told Mr. Solomon and Ms. Jordan they had to leave, but when they got downstairs, Mr. Solomon insisted that he be given a ride home because it was cold outside, Mr. Cook said. Mr. Anderson refused and pushed Mr. Solomon out of the door and locked it behind him, Mr. Cook said.
After Mr. Solomon continued to yell outside the home, Mr. Anderson opened the door and stabbed Mr. Solomon, Mr. Cook said.
Mr. Cocovos told the jurors his client stabbed Mr. Solomon only because he saw a black object in his hand. The object turned out to be a cell phone, he said, but his client thought it was a weapon and acted in self-defense.
The trial, which is before Judge Charles Wittenberg, is to continue today.