CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jurors in the murder trial of Tremaine Jackson, accused of shooting a man to death in 2015, did not reach a verdict on Tuesday and will continue deliberating Wednesday morning.
Closing arguments from prosecutors concluded on Tuesday, following several hours of deliberations from the jury before they wrapped up for the day around 5 p.m.
Jackson, 23, of Charleston, has been on trial since last week in Kanawha County Circuit Court, charged with first degree murder in connection to the death of Bryan Rogers, 29. The incident occurred Dec. 27, 2015 on the city’s West Side.
On Tuesday morning, Kanawha County Circuit Judge Charles King listed five possible verdicts the jury may find in the case before they listened to closing arguments from both the prosecution and the defense.
Those options included guilty of first degree murder, guilty of second degree murder, guilty of voluntary manslaughter, guilty of involuntary manslaughter and not guilty.
During closing arguments, prosecutors pointed to witness testimony and statements made by Jackson during his confession to police two days after the shooting.
“Not one single person testified that anyone other than Tremaine Jackson was the last person standing in the alley arguing with Bryan Rogers over money before a gun shot was heard and Bryan Rogers was killed,” said Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Maryclaire Akers.
Prosecutors allege the shooting, which took place outside a sandwich shop, was over heroin. Akers said Jackson was angry he didn’t get his money from Rogers.
“The defendant in his own words, that you heard, said he was robbed and he decided he wanted his money back so he went to him in the alley,” Akers told the jury. “That is premeditation.”
Judge King said in order for an offense to constitute first degree murder, jurors must find the murder was premeditated. He said “to premeditate is to think of a matter before it is done.”
Akers continued to tell jurors Jackson had the choice not to pull a gun, to walk away and to never go there in the first place.
“What you’ll hear Tremaine Jackson say in his confession is I went there. I knew he was there and I went there,” she said. “He went there knowing he had a gun.”
Several video clips were presented to the jury Tuesday of Jackson’s confession to police. One video included Jackson telling officers he had a 0.38 handgun — a piece of information Akers said detectives were unaware of until the autopsy report was released.
Jackson has claimed the shooting was an act of self defense. Akers said his attorney wants jurors to believe that everyone in the case has been coerced.
“They want you to blame the police, the state, the witnesses and the victim, but I want you to remember there’s no evidence before you that the statement the defendant made was coerced,” she said.
One eye witness who testified last week and saw the shooting was Savannah Holt, Akers said.
“He (Jackson) was holding a gun long enough for Savannah Holt to see it. She told you she saw it,” Akers reminded jurors.
“‘There was the littler black man,'” she quoted Holt, “‘was pointing a gun at the white man before I saw the white man drop.'”
The jury watched Jackson’s full statement that he gave to police shortly after the shooting during Friday’s proceedings. Jackson admitted in the video that he shot Rogers, but a detective later testified they lied to Jackson to get the confession.
The defense rested its case without calling a single witness to the stand. Jackson’s attorneys are scheduled to present their closing arguments Tuesday afternoon.
Jackson faces life in prison.