Tow truck driver's murder: Jury set to begin deliberations
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The jury will begin deliberations Wednesday morning to determine the fate of a 26-year-old man accused of murdering a tow truck operator.
It was a full day of court Tuesday, beginning with the defendant taking the stand. Victor Richardson told jurors he feared for his life the day Christopher Harrold was killed.
The 26-year-old said he never meant to shoot the tow truck operator and felt horrible when he realized he had.
Richardson said that is when he turned himself in.
"Somebody was murdered and my name is on it. It's not okay," the suspect said with regret.
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Richardson said he was arguing with Harrold's employee, DeAndre Dean, over money when he says Dean started shooting at him
Richardson: "I kept getting shot at. I was scared. I didn't want to get shot."
Lawyer: "Had you shot the AR-15 before?"
Richardson: "No sir."
The state says Richardson was lying on the stand. Prosecutors say he was not fearful of his life, but rather mad and opened fire on a busy Chevron gas station because he had a malignant heart and wanted to shoot employee Dean.
"He took a high-caliber, the assault rifle, and fired it off multiple times at a crowded gas station where other people could have easily been injured or killed," prosecutor Jen Scacco.
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The defense claimed this was a dispute over drug money.
The state says it was a series of bad decisions that lead to murder.
"You shouldn't get off the hook for murder if you hit the wrong person," prosecutor Scacco stated during closing arguments.
The judge charged the jury Tuesday afternoon. Deliberations will begin at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Richardson face six charges, including malice and felony murder.
DeAndre Dean was not charged.