Second trial in VFW murder underway

SALISBURY, Md – Jury selection, opening arguments, and witness testimony all kicked off what is expected to be a lengthy murder trial today at the Wicomico County Circuit Courthouse.

35-year-old Salisbury resident Dionte Dutton is accused of conspiracy, assault, and murder in the June 2017 death of Jaquanta Walton.

During opening arguments the prosecution painted a picture of Dutton planning and helping to commit the execution style shooting of the 20-year-old at a dice game outside of the Salisbury VFW with trigger man Lee Braboy. They claimed that phone conversations between Dutton and Braboy along with video surveillance footage places the duo near and at the scene of the crime. The state explained that Dutton was an accomplice in the murder, but that because he planned and helped facilitate the shooting, he was just as guilty of murder as Braboy even if he was not there.

The defense claimed the state will have notable inconsistencies about the series of disconnected events as they try to tell the story of what happened that night and explained the state has the burden of proof to connect those events, not his client. Dutton’s attorney also said that he will show that there was no gang relation to the shooting of Walton and that there was no alleged beef going on inside of the VFW the night of the shooting.

The trial is expected to last at least 7 days with a total of 17 witnesses between the two sides set to testify. Among those witnesses five, including Walton’s girlfriend, took the stand today to testify. The prosecution will also be calling on a gang expert and an FBI expert to testify.