Demetrius Coleman's attorney, Ms. Andrea Sullivan brought up several of the weaknesses in the People's case, including that her client could not be identified. She made an excellent case for reasonable doubt.
"Even with all the video surveillance, ballistic evidence", cell phone data, Ms. Sullivan told the jury, "what you will quickly realize is that this case will boil down to two things. Witness credibility and the investigating officers' judgement."
Coleman brokered deals in the marijuana industry. Ms. Sullivan said Johnny Renfro was "involved in the darker part of the illicit business" in the marijuana industry and in "numerous marijuana robberies." This will be shown through evidence and his Facebook posts.
Ms. Sullivan said that Renfro "likely committed robbery the day he died."
On the day Renfro was shot, Coleman had marijuana samples to show prospective clients and that he "was hunkered down" in the green Honda when someone else fired at Renfro.
"The burden is on the prosecution to show that Demetrius Coleman is the shooter. If there is reasonable possibility that anyone else than Demetrius Coleman is the shooter," there is reasonable doubt.
Ms. Sullivan said that there are two kinds of witnesses in this case; percipient witnesses and people who know Demetrius Coleman. These people were contacted by Coleman before and after the shooting . " They have motivation not to be honest with you."
Coco Niles is a "reluctant witness" and "was observed by more than one person in the green Honda."
Ms. Sullivan brought up the jury instruction about believing witness testimony and witness credibility.
After reviewing the evidence, "how much does a witness have to lie, minimize, omit involvement that you, the trier of facts, will determine that witness is worthless?"
"After the police got involved, Regina Osenbaugh and her husband Jovan (Ignjatovic)" claimed they did not know Coleman. Ms. Sullivan said days prior to the shooting, "my client brought one million cash" to Osenbaugh and Ignjatovic "but they don't know him."
This million dollar deal was referred to in the preliminary coverage.
Mariah Acosta, another people's witness, had an "intimate and business relationship" with Coleman.
Ms. Sullivan mentioned credibility of witnesses also includes police officers. "Rather than harp on law enforcement credibility; I ask you to focus on their judgement. What they chose to focus on; what they chose to ignore."
"This case is anything but clear; anything but open and shut."
Ms. Sullivan said reasonable doubt exists. "You will find Demetrius Coleman not guilty."
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