Keith Wells Holmes
The murder case against Keith Wells-Holmes appears to rely centrally on video surveillance and the word of a Mercer County detective.
Absent a clear-cut motive and the murder weapon, a 9 mm luger which was never recovered, prosecutors could be looking to Wells-Holmes’ alleged getaway driver, Zihqwan “Woody” Clemens, and a jailhouse informant known on the streets as “Murder Mike” to bolster their case against the man they believed killed Trenton graffiti artist Andre Corbett.
The two could testify later this week, prosecutors said as trial wrapped up for the day Monday.
“Murder Mike’s” government name is Michael Barnes, a man with a felonious past who prosecutors say is free these days. It’s unclear how he secured that freedom, but Assistant Prosecutor James Scott said any agreement Barnes’ has with the state regarding his cooperation was turned over to Wells-Holmes’ attorney, Caroline Turner.
Scott also told the court there was an unspecified issue with Barnes’ potential testimony he did not want to address in the presence of Wells-Holmes but he had informed the defendant’s attorney about it. Superior Court Judge Robert Billmeier did not inquire further.
Clemens is an unknown in this trial. As recently as last October, he had indicated to the court he wanted to be tried alongside Wells-Holmes. He was severed after the judge ruled having the defendants tried together posed significant legal hurdles.
It’s unclear what he would say or be allowed to say if he took the stand.
Other potential state witnesses include Isiah Greene, who is incarcerated on unrelated murder and attempted murder charges; and Marquise Risher, who is also jailed on drug charges.
Scott said Greene, Risher and Clemens would have to testify at a hearing outside the jury’s presence, tentatively slated for Wednesday, before they took the stand in front of jurors.
Turner’s defense that her client is innocent could come down to pivotal cross examinations of the three men, assuming they testify. She hinted at the state’s reliance on unsavory people in a strong opening statement in contending two of them – Risher and Greene – were inside a gold-colored van linked with the slaying and captured on surveillance frequenting a grocery mart near the murder on the same day Corbett was killed. Since then, she has contended police did not do their due diligence in examining whether one was a more likely suspect and has accused investigators of focusing on her client early on and not following other leads.
Turner spent most of Monday morning cross-examining Bryan Cottrell, a lead detective in the murder case and one of the state’s central witnesses. He is expected to be recalled to the witness stand later this week to provide additional testimony, although it’s unclear what that testimony will focus on this time around.
Now-retired Trenton Police crime detective Robert Paccillo also took the stand and told the jury he recovered five spent shell casings from a 9 mm luger used in Corbett’s murder. Investigators never recovered the handgun, prosecutors said.
The weapon the damage did was put into context by county medical examiner, Dr. Raafat Ahmad, who testified Corbett succumbed to injuries he sustained after he was shot four times.
Jurors were shown graphic autopsy photos depicting gunshot wounds to Corbett’s chest and other areas. A family member stepped out of the courtroom when the photos were put up on an overhead projector.
Ahmad said a spent bullet was recovered in the victim’s clothing during the autopsy. Another struck and fractured Corbett’s jaw, passing through his mouth before exiting behind his left ear. Corbett’s lungs were pierced by rounds, and he choked on his own blood while he lay dying on the blood-stained pavement while another man callously stepped over him and others gathered around his body.