UPDATE: Four charges dropped in murder trial against Delmar teen
The state and defense rested their cases Wednesday in the trial against a Delmar teen facing murder charges for the shooting death of a Fruitland teen last summer.
Ky’Shir Connally, 19, was arrested August 2015 after police say 17-year-old Rakim Russell was shot and killed in the America’s Best Value Inn parking lot shortly after a party.
Following the testimonies of ten witnesses Wednesday, the court granted the motion to move four misdemeanor charges to acquittal.
Connally was initially facing 18 charges; however, Wednesday’s action means he is left to face the remaining 14 charges which include premeditated first degree murder and second degree murder.
Scott Collins, Connally’s attorney, argued those charges should have moved to acquittal as well on the basis of “insufficient evidence” from the state.
According to Collins, testimonies showed there was no discussion of any plans to shoot anyone that night. In his words, his client simply being there “is not a criminal offense.”
Kristen Schulz, a prosecutor with the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office, was quick to note Connally admitted during an interview with the Salisbury Police Department that there was a gun in the car he was traveling in the night Russell was shot.
The car reportedly included Connally, 20-year-old Larry Ennis, 19-year-old Jarrett Stokes and the driver who testified in court Wednesday.
During the testimony, he [driver] told the court Connally allegedly contacted him via the cell phone app ‘Snachat’ two days after the shooting and instructed him to clean out the car they drove to America’s Best Value Inn.
According to testimonies presented in court during this week’s trial, the group was initially at the hotel for an ‘Under 21’ party. Police say they got into an argument at the party, which is when a call was made to Stokes who met them at an IHOP restaurant.
Police say the convicted shooter, identified as Stokes, shot four rounds into the crowd of about 100 individuals with one round striking and killing Russell.
During cross-examination, the witness testified he saw the gun in Stokes’ lap on the ride back to the hotel; however, he never saw it in the physical possession of Connally that night, nor did he [Connally] suggest to shoot anyone.
Another witness who took the stand Wednesday was the medical examiner who performed Russell’s autopsy in Baltimore.
According to the examiner, Russell died as a result of a ‘through and through’ gunshot wound to his head and noted there was no evidence it was inflicted at short-range.
Connally declined his right to give a testimony on Wednesday.
The court is set to reconvene at 9 a.m. Thursday for closing arguments.
Ennis and Stokes were convicted and sentenced earlier this year.
