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2 men found guilty in shooting deaths of activist, mother

By Angela Jacobs, WFTV.com
By Angela Jacobs, WFTV.com
Two men were convicted Monday of killing two innocent bystanders in a drive-by shooting.
Four others were injured in the shooting.
Lavon Shinn and Christopher Miller were each found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and four counts each of aggravated battery. 
In closing arguments, defense attorneys tried to give jurors a lot to consider, arguing the state has not met the burden of proof.
The state said the evidence speaks for itself.
“No, there are not going to be eyewitnesses in this case that say, ‘Those two guys did it.’ When you look at the evidence in this case, in its entirety, there (are) no other individuals who would have committed this murder,” said prosecutor Mark Interlicchio.
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Working to convict Shinn and Miller in the 2016 shooting deaths of Gino Nicolas, 24, and Tanya Skeen, 46, the state focused its closing argument on the timeline surrounding the crime.
Nicolas was an activist in the Parramore community and Skeen was a mother.

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The state alleges Shinn wanted to settle the score after he was jumped by known enemies at a downtown nightclub.
Prosecutors said Shinn switched cars with a friend, picked up his brother, Miller, and the two used at least one of Miller’s guns to commit the shooting.
The defense emphasized the lack of witnesses placing their clients at the scene and accused the state of just trying to make the evidence fit their case.
“The state’s case is exactly speculation. They don’t have any concrete proof. They’re asking you to pull something out of the air and speculate that one of the shooter’s is Mr. Miller,” said defense attorney Peter Schmer.
The state’s case revolved around a .40-caliber Glock that was found at the scene and found to be one of the 13 guns legally owned by Miller.   
Miller testified that the gun was his, but said he did not know who used the gun in the crime.
The victims' family members cried as the verdict was delivered Monday.
"I'll never forget what happened to my godmom and what I ran into, and watching her fight for her life on the ground," Shakeshia Napper said.

Cox Media Group

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