Jury to decide fate of man accused in 2023 murder

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno County execution proceedings is present successful the hands of a jury.

Malik Nichols is accused of a treble shooting successful 2023 that near 1 of the victims dead.

"The way of demolition near down by the suspect is unimaginable. On 2 abstracted occasions - successful wide daylight - the suspect made the prime to occurrence his weapon, putting countless lives successful danger," said prosecuting Deputy District Attorney Kaitlyn Drake.

"Sometimes, if you're unwilling to look beyond the narrative, you tin beryllium blinded by that communicative and not look astatine each the evidence. And that's what I deliberation happened here, ladies and gentlemen," said Richard Beshwate, Nichols' defence attorney.

The suspect is accused of shooting 43-year-old Ibrahim Muhammad and a 57-year-old pistillate successful southwest Fresno backmost successful 2023. Muhammad died - conscionable 25 minutes aft dropping his woman disconnected astatine work. The pistillate unfortunate survived.

Investigators discovered 15 rounds were fired from astatine slightest 2 guns.

Prosecutors person called it a gang-related retaliation for a sidesplitting that happened months earlier and said determination was a $10,000 bounty.

Drake says Nichols adjacent took recognition for the sidesplitting connected camera, playing a clip successful which the suspect referred to himself arsenic an "AOB killer."

"We cognize from that connection from the defendant's ain that helium is the AOB killer. He is 1 of the radical liable for the decease of Ibraham Mohammad. Believe him erstwhile helium tells you that," she said.

But Beshwate argued that it doesn't represent a confession.

"To effort to basal words - 'AOB killer' - means 'I killed Mr. Mohammad.' No, it doesn't. It conscionable doesn't. That's not what it means," Beshwate said.

Beshwate is besides pushing backmost against immoderate of the grounds Drake showed Tuesday -- specifically surveillance footage from 3 days earlier the murder.

It appears to amusement Nichols moving aft a antheral successful an flat analyzable and firing a limb successful his direction.

The defence is not defending his clients' actions determination but saying it doesn't beryllium that helium murdered Mohammad.

"In this case, they privation you to judge Mr. Nichols killed Mr. Mohammad simply due to the fact that helium fired the aforesaid limb a fewer days before. Well, that's rather an assumption, ladies and gentlemen, that they're asking you to take," said Beshwate.

Kerry Mannix is simply a wide duty newsman for ABC30 Action News. For quality updates, travel her connected Instagram.