
Video above: Information about the deliberationsA jury found Demetrius Jackson guilty Monday in the deadly 2020 Riverchase Galleria shooting that killed an 8-year-old boy.Jackson was found guilty of the following charges:reckless manslaughterassault in the second degree (3 counts)Victor Revill, Jackson's lawyer said to reporters after the verdict, "We respect the jury’s verdict. We respect the jury’s decision. Obvious we wanted something different. We wanted him to not be guilty of everything. “Revill adds when asked if did there was an effort during the trial to put blame on the other men charged in the shooting, Coleman and Williams, "We wanted to tell the truth. The truth of that day is they came to the mall and did not know that Montez Coleman, Yavo or person was going to be there that day. And these individuals incited an incident. My client Demetrius Jackson tried his best to walk away he got put into an impossible situation. As a result, the jury came to a determination."Closing statementsDuring closing statements, the defense and the prosecutors argued over whether or not the shooting was intentional.The prosecution pushed that all three of the shooters, including Jackson, were responsible for the death of Royta Giles Jr. The 8-year-old was waiting in line with his family when he was shot and killed.Video below: Murder victim's mom is final witness at trialThe defense argued that Jackson attempted to walk away from the incident and that it was self-defense. They stated that they're not denying he shot a weapon, but he didn't kill anyone, noting there is a lack of evidence that he intended to kill or had contact with the other shooters before the incident.Demetrius Jackson is the last of the three men Hoover Police Department arrested and charged for the deadly shooting on July 3, 2020.The trialOn Wednesday, prosecutors told jurors Montez Coleman, a local rapper, had a feud with King Williams, who was with Jackson that day.There was a verbal argument between the groups, and surveillance video inside the mall shows Coleman shooting an AR-15 once through his backpack toward Williams and Jackson.EXCLUSIVE: Shooting video shown in courtLawyers said Williams and Jackson each shot six bullets back at Coleman. During the chaos, shoppers took cover.Giles did not survive his injuries. He was hit on the cheek and head. Three people were also shot, but they survived.The defense said their client Jackson acted in self-defense when Coleman shot toward him. Jackson's lawyers told jurors this week they will learn their client’s gun was a .40-caliber and that forensics will testify it was a 9 mm that killed the 8-year-old boy.“The state of Alabama has no idea if any of the bullets that Demetrius Jackson fired hit anybody. He did not kill anybody. Not a soul," defense attorney Victor Revill said during closing arguments.A Hoover Police officer testified King Williams' 9 mm killed the child.As for the surviving victims, defense lawyers said they don't know whose gun shot them. Prosecutors said in opening statements to the jury Jackson got rid of his gun.Prosecutors told jurors on that day, “Everyone who shot was wrong, and everybody who shot is responsible."Coleman pleaded guilty in June last year. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Williams also pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
Video above: Information about the deliberations
A jury found Demetrius Jackson guilty Monday in the deadly 2020 Riverchase Galleria shooting that killed an 8-year-old boy.
Jackson was found guilty of the following charges:
- reckless manslaughter
- assault in the second degree (3 counts)
Victor Revill, Jackson's lawyer said to reporters after the verdict, "We respect the jury’s verdict. We respect the jury’s decision. Obvious we wanted something different. We wanted him to not be guilty of everything. “
Revill adds when asked if did there was an effort during the trial to put blame on the other men charged in the shooting, Coleman and Williams, "We wanted to tell the truth. The truth of that day is they came to the mall and did not know that Montez Coleman, Yavo or person was going to be there that day. And these individuals incited an incident. My client Demetrius Jackson tried his best to walk away he got put into an impossible situation. As a result, the jury came to a determination."
Closing statements
During closing statements, the defense and the prosecutors argued over whether or not the shooting was intentional.
The prosecution pushed that all three of the shooters, including Jackson, were responsible for the death of Royta Giles Jr. The 8-year-old was waiting in line with his family when he was shot and killed.
Video below: Murder victim's mom is final witness at trial
The defense argued that Jackson attempted to walk away from the incident and that it was self-defense. They stated that they're not denying he shot a weapon, but he didn't kill anyone, noting there is a lack of evidence that he intended to kill or had contact with the other shooters before the incident.
Demetrius Jackson is the last of the three men Hoover Police Department arrested and charged for the deadly shooting on July 3, 2020.
The trial
On Wednesday, prosecutors told jurors Montez Coleman, a local rapper, had a feud with King Williams, who was with Jackson that day.
There was a verbal argument between the groups, and surveillance video inside the mall shows Coleman shooting an AR-15 once through his backpack toward Williams and Jackson.
EXCLUSIVE: Shooting video shown in court
Lawyers said Williams and Jackson each shot six bullets back at Coleman. During the chaos, shoppers took cover.
Giles did not survive his injuries. He was hit on the cheek and head. Three people were also shot, but they survived.
The defense said their client Jackson acted in self-defense when Coleman shot toward him. Jackson's lawyers told jurors this week they will learn their client’s gun was a .40-caliber and that forensics will testify it was a 9 mm that killed the 8-year-old boy.
“The state of Alabama has no idea if any of the bullets that Demetrius Jackson fired hit anybody. He did not kill anybody. Not a soul," defense attorney Victor Revill said during closing arguments.
A Hoover Police officer testified King Williams' 9 mm killed the child.
As for the surviving victims, defense lawyers said they don't know whose gun shot them. Prosecutors said in opening statements to the jury Jackson got rid of his gun.
Prosecutors told jurors on that day, “Everyone who shot was wrong, and everybody who shot is responsible."
Coleman pleaded guilty in June last year. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Williams also pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.