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| | Monday, June 12 Defense points finger at Lewis | |||||
| Associated Press ATLANTA -- District Attorney Paul Howard showed photographs of the victims and lashed out at defense attorneys for obscuring the truth in closing statements in the murder trial of two friends of NFL star Ray Lewis on Friday. In an emotional final speech -- sharply different from his tone during the rest of the trial -- Howard said Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar were "running for their lives" when they were attacked by defendants Joseph Sweeting and Reginald Oakley. The victims' families sobbed as Howard showed the jurors two pictures of each victim -- one taken while they were alive, and another taken after they were killed. The defense attorneys "want to focus your attention away from these boys," Howard said, striking the pictures of the victims. "They're laughing. They've laughed through this trial, and if you find them not guilty, they will continue to laugh." The jury of 10 women and two men, which has not been sequestered for the weekend, will begin deliberations Monday. An attorney for Joseph Sweeting, a longtime friend of Lewis, told jurors Friday that in order to win a murder conviction prosecutors have presented a case that has changed shape several times. John Bergendahl reminded jurors in his closing argument Friday that prosecutors began the case by telling them Lewis was guilty of murder, but later dropped those charges. "Ray Lewis was the guy who was absolutely guilty of murder in this case," said Sweeting's attorney, John Bergendahl. "Mr. Lewis has gone from public enemy No. 1 to the state's best friend." Lewis pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor obstruction of justice and testified against his two former co-defendants, Sweeting and Reginald Oakley, who are still charged with murder. Lewis testified that both defendants were fighting and that Sweeting indicated he stabbed Baker. But Bergendahl told the jury Lewis had good reason to lie about Sweeting and save his million-dollar pro football career with the Baltimore Ravens. Lewis, Sweeting and Oakley were charged with murder in the fatal stabbings of Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar outside a nightclub after a post-Super Bowl party Jan. 31. Bergendahl told the jury that the real killer was Kwame King, another longtime friend of Lewis whom Bergendahl called "the man in black." He said King, who has never appeared in court, had a large knife and matched the descriptions several witnesses gave. In his closing argument, District Attorney Paul Howard said that even though no witnesses saw Sweeting or Oakley stab anyone in the street brawl, there is enough circumstantial evidence to convict both men of murder. There was "a decision, a chase, a killing, a blood trail," Howard told jurors. Howard said Oakley started an argument with a group of men from Akron, Ohio, which included the victims. Baker, the smaller of the two victims, then smacked Oakley in the head with a champagne bottle. "When Jacinth Baker hit him with a bottle, it's our contention that Reginald Oakley already had his knife out," Howard said. Howard also noted that the blood of Oakley and Baker was found mixed together on a seat inside Lewis' rented stretch limousine. Oakley's blood also was found on the back of Baker's jacket. Howard told jurors that Sweeting and Oakley would try to claim they were defending themselves in the fight outside a north Atlanta nightclub. He called that justification "ridiculous." "The men from Ohio were simply standing on the corner when Reginald Oakley started this whole incident," Howard said. On Thursday, Superior Court Judge Alice D. Bonner dropped one murder charge each against both defendants, saying a jury could not reasonably conclude that each defendant was responsible in both slayings. Sweeting, of Miami, still faces a murder charge in the death of Lollar. Oakley, of Baltimore, still faces murder charges in the death of Baker. Both could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. Bonner also denied a request by Oakley's lawyer to have the jury also consider an involuntary manslaughter charge in their deliberations. | ALSO SEE Still angry, Lewis eager to return to NFL Time to play: Lewis on the field, not in court Atlanta jury acquits Lewis' associates on all charges  | |||||