jmccann@heraldsun.com; 419-6601
DURHAM -- In the Angel Richardson first-degree murder trial, Durham Police Sgt. Jack Cates on Tuesday took the witness stand and talked about hearing that the shooter went by the name "Rock." But Cates didn't say "Rock" is Richardson.
Richardson, 23, could go to jail for the rest of his life without the possibility for parole if a jury finds him guilty of killing Marlon Rand in December 2006.
Rand was 23 when he was killed, and his body was discovered behind the North Street location of Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, or TROSA. Rand was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not associated with TROSA.
Cates said he was informed this so-called "Rock" was wearing a black, hooded coat and had on fluorescent green shoes.
On Monday, Barbara Ann Day, who said she was living at 1008 North St. at the time of the murder, was sworn in and talked about having seen in the neighborhood an unfamiliar person wearing a black hood. She also heard the gunfire believed to have claimed the life of Rand, who was living at 1004 North St. when he was killed, Day said.
Outside of the presence of the jury on Tuesday, defense lawyer Jonathan Broun objected to a line of questioning toward Cates by District Attorney Tracey Cline. Broun believed the probing was leading toward portraying the defendant as "Rock."
Other testimony from the witness stand on Monday bandied the name "Rock" without directly saying the nickname belonged to Richardson.
