DEVELOPING: Jury in deliberation on murder trial against Delmar teen

The state and defense presented their closing arguments Thursday in the three-day trial against a Delmar teen arrested in connection to the shooting death of Rakim Russell.

Ky’Shir Connally, 19, faces 14 charges total including premeditated first-degree murder.

This stems from an August 2015 incident when police say Russell, 17, was shot and killed in the parking lot of America’s Best Value Inn shortly after he left an Under 21 party.

According to police, Connally was also at the party earlier that evening before he was involved in a verbal argument.

The state alleges Connally later returned to the party and was in the car with three others when 19-year-old Jarrett Stokes shot four rounds into a crowd of about 200 individuals. One of the rounds struck and killed Russell.

During closing statements Thursday morning, a prosecutor with the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office told the jury that this is not a case of Connally being “at the wrong place, at the wrong time.” They say the only person who was at the wrong place at the wrong time, was the victim.

Instead, the state argued this is a case about the choices leading up to the moment Russell was struck and killed.

Connally’s defense team argued it’s not crime for him to be there and “mere presence is not enough, you have to act.”

According to the defense, the entire incident boils down to Stokes, who has already been convicted and sentenced, and his decision to shoot.

As of 12:30 p.m. Thursday, a verdict had not yet been reached.