By Joe Ragusa
BLOOMINGTON – Two friends of the suspect, three police officers and a forensic pathologist testified in the murder trial of Anthony Davis-Dickson Wednesday morning.
Tory Washington, a man accused of murder along with Davis-Dickson, continued his testimony to start the day. He was cross examined by defense attorney Michael Zopf, who called Washington “a liar and a coward.” Zopf also criticized Washington for smiling numerous times during his testimony.
When re-examined by the prosecution, Washington said he was “ready to get this over with.”
Jamaude Tutwiler, 18, also testified Wednesday. He was with the three men as they allegedly robbed and beat other people the night of June 2, 2014.
Tutwiler mumbled and looked down a lot during his testimony and refuted many of the statements he allegedly made to police a month after the beating.
He and Washington both told the court that they drank a lot of alcohol, smoked several grams of weed and took pills the night Smith was attacked.
Tutwiler said he saw a lot of movement near the pool of O’Neill Park that night, but doesn’t know who or what happened because he was intoxicated and with a woman in a bathroom stall at the time of the alleged beating.
Washington has already pleaded guilty to murder charges and Tutwiler is currently incarcerated for offenses he committed as a juvenile that night.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Amanda Youmans described the injuries Ronald Smith died from a month after the alleged beating.Smith suffered broken ribs, blunt force trauma to his head and chest and inflammation in his abdomen.
Normal Police Detective Jeremy Melville told the court that when he went to Davis-Dickson’s home a couple days after the attack, Davis-Dickson ran out the back door.
Two Bloomington Police officers, Scott Wold and Ty Carlton, said they arrested him two days later after Davis-Dickson again tried to run from authorities.
Davis-Dickson’s trial continues Wednesday afternoon with the testimony of Willie Chambers, the other man accused of murdering Smith along with Davis-Dickson and Washington. Davis-Dickson is the only one who hasn’t pleaded guilty.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].
