TAMPA, Fla. – Closing arguments are underway within the trial of Gerald Declan Radford in a Tampa courtroom on Thursday, as Radford stands trial for homicide one 12 months after a lethal taking pictures at a canine park.
Prosecutors say Radford, who’s now 66, focused and killed John Walter Lay as a result of he was homosexual. He is charged with second-degree homicide with a hate crime enhancement.
Pictured: Gerald Radford in courtroom on Thursday.
Closing arguments
What they’re saying:
Of their remaining message to the jury, prosecutors once more laid out their case towards Radford, saying he repeatedly harassed Lay for greater than two years previous to the Feb. 2, 2024, battle that led to the lethal taking pictures on the West Canine Park off North Occident Road close to Tampa.
Pictured: John Walter Lay
Prosecuting legal professional Justin Diaz used a baseball analogy when mentioning a video Lay recorded the day earlier than the taking pictures, saying Radford threatened to kill him.
“Gerald Radford is standing on the batter’s field within the World Collection, and he is calling his shot,” Diaz mentioned. “Twenty-four hours earlier than Mr. Lay is lifeless, Gerald Radford is telling him ‘you’re going to die.'”
Prosecuting legal professional Justin Diaz gave closing arguments within the trial of Gerald Radford in a Tampa courtroom on Thursday.
The protection acknowledged Radford’s use of hateful language whereas sustaining Radford’s declare of self-defense, arguing that Lay was the aggressor within the moments resulting in the taking pictures.
“Irrespective of how offensive these phrases in 2024 and 2025 are, that in and of it itself, someone who makes use of hateful terminology or is a self-described a****** doesn’t make them a legal. It doesn’t make them a assassin,” protection legal professional Matthew Futch mentioned.
Protection legal professional Matthew Futch gave closing arguments within the trial of Gerald Radford in a Tampa courtroom on Thursday.
Courtroom testimony
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On Thursday, the protection solely referred to as one witness, a lab analyst with the Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement, earlier than resting. Radford declined to testify.
In the course of the first two days of the trial, the state laid out its case, calling investigators to the stand, adopted by common guests to the canine park who knew each males.
Witnesses who knew Lay mentioned he was mild-mannered, telling the jury that Radford started directing homophobic slurs at Lay as their friendship deteriorated.
RELATED: Canine park taking pictures trial: Prosecution rests, protection to start its case Thursday
The protection pointed to scrapes on Lay’s knees as proof that he was kneeling over Radford and attacking him when he was shot, claiming self-defense.
Prosecutors appeared to solid doubt on that state of affairs by calling the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner, Dr. Kelly Devers, to the stand.
Devers testified that Lay did not have hand accidents in keeping with punching somebody.
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What’s subsequent:
Radford faces 25 years to life in jail if convicted of second-degree homicide with a hate crime enhancement. He beforehand rejected a plea deal that will have included a 15-year jail sentence and 10 years probation for the lesser cost of manslaughter.
The Supply: This story was written utilizing data from courtroom testimony at trial and former FOX 13 Information stories.
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