JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Verdict watch is underway for the men accused of shooting and killing a local 13-year-old.
Action News Jax has been following this case since 2022, when Prince Holland was killed, leaving football tryouts.
The two suspects, Marcel Johnson and Kentrevious Garard, are being tried by two different juries.
Johnson’s jury was sent back to start deliberations around 2 pm Wednesday. And Garard’s jury started deliberating just after 6 pm.
Before deliberating, prosecutors and defense attorneys laid out their closing arguments to jurors. Johnson’s jury was first.
Defense attorneys first focused on Johnson’s confession, which is a big piece of evidence against him.
They also played the interrogation video, where detectives repeatedly pressed Johnson for a confession.
Attorneys said that their tactics are threatening.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
However, prosecutors argued the confession confirmed key details, including that his grandmother’s car was used in the shooting.
“How can someone confess to a crime that they did not commit,” said Johnson’s defense attorney.
“He was the driver of the vehicle, and he assisted Mr. Garard in doing this shooting,” said the state in court on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, during Garard’s closings, the state reminded jurors of the evidence that was presented, including statements that Garard made after the shooting about “Spraying that –Expletive-- Up."
Prosecutors said some of the things Garard said in his interview with police indicates his conscious of guilt.
That includes downplaying his friendship with Marcel, lying about ever seeing the blue Kia, and telling his girlfriend that he “messed up” because of that lie.
But Garard’s defense said in this case, there just simply is no evidence that supports a verdict of guilty.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
