Marquez Wilson found guilty of manslaughter

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After nearly four hours of deliberating, an Evangeline Parish jury found Robert Marquez Wilson guilty of manslaughter for the shooting death of Kathy Weston. Heading into the trial, which began on Tuesday, Wilson was facing a second degree murder charge.
Weston was struck by a stray bullet in the chest while walking to a store on N. Chataignier Street back in April 2017. The bullet that killed Weston, the prosecution argued was originally meant for Santiago Thomas, who was involved in a confrontation with Wilson and his brother Tiberious Wilson minutes before Weston was killed.
On the final day of the trial, Assistant District Attorney Marcus Fontenot and defense council, Elbert Guillory, presented their closing arguments to the jury of 12 on Friday.
Fontenot, who was assisted by ADA Nick Monier in prosecuting this case, summarized the evidence presented during the trial to prove Wilson’s guilt.
With no murder weapon or DNA evidence linking Wilson to the crime, the state’s evidence hinged on testimony from individuals who were present at the scene of the crime when the shooting occurred.
During his closing, Fontenot also made an effort to discredit the defense’s case, which consisted of individuals who alleged to have been with the defendant in a family member’s apartment at the time of the shooting.
To finish his closing, Fontenot, said, “Listen to what you’ve been told, and use common sense. You can make a statement here with your verdict that it’s time to put an end to this gun violence.”
During Guillory’s closing, he focused on discrediting the state’s witnesses, nearly all of which had criminal records, and some of which refused to testify at trial due to the fact they may incriminate themselves.
Guilllory also focused on the fact there was a crowd of people and others with guns outside when the shooting occurred. He called the investigation performed a “shot in the dark investigation.”
However, the defense attorneys closing wasn’t enough to sway the jury to render a not guilty verdict.
Following the trial, Guillory said, “I am disappointed in the jury’s decision. I did not feel that sufficient evidence was introduced. It was not a close call. But, I do certainly appreciate the jury’s service and sacrifice.”
However, District Attorney Trent Brignac was pleased with the jury’s decision and the work of his prosectors.
Brignac said, “I want to compliment Marcus Fontenot and Nick Monier on a job well done. It was a tough case to prosecute but their presentation was done well. I also want to compliment the jury and thank them for their dedication to this process. Justice can’t be served without the public’s willingness to participate in the jury system.”
Wilson, who has no prior criminal record, is set to appear before Judge Chuck West for his sentencing on October 18, 2018 at 9:00 a.m..