COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The gang and murder trial in the 2020 South Columbus shooting death is nearing a conclusion.
Closing arguments began this morning in Muscogee County Superior Court.
Marquise Hawkins and Kendaryl Rogers face life in prison without parole if convicted of fatally shooting Alex Bales-Davis. The two are facing 19 charges, ranging from murder to criminal street gang activity.
Closing arguments started about three hours ago and are expected to take up the bulk of the day. Each side — the prosecutor and both defense attorneys received two hours each to make their case.
Prosecutor Lee Stoy says Hawkins and Rogers were associates of a criminal street gang. The gangs mentioned were the Rolling 60 Crips and DBH (Drive By Hustle).
According to testimony, the victim was also a gang member.
Hawkins' attorney — Chuck Douglas — denies that his client was even in a gang.
Evidence presented during the trial indicated an ongoing gang war in the weeks leading up to the murder.
"They don't do it by selling a good product. Looking nice here. You do it through fear and they do it through violence," said Lee Stoy, Assistant Attorney General of the Gang Prosecution Unit.
Douglas responded, "Unfortunately, they all had their own reasons to want Alex hurt...a lot of folks were mad at Alex."
Attorney William Kendrick is representing Rogers. This is the third time Kendrick has had a defendant in a case prosecuted by the Attorney General's Gang Prosecution Unit.
The trial is in its 12th day. Once the closing arguments are complete, Judge Tippi Burch will charge the jury. Then the case will be in the jury's hands.
Closing arguments are expected to last most of the day. The prosecution and each of the defense attorneys will have two hours to present their case. The trial is in its 12th day.
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