Southwest Fresno murder trial begins as defense claims prosecutors have wrong suspect

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno County jurors began a month-long proceedings connected Wednesday arsenic they heard from attorneys connected some sides successful the execution lawsuit against Malik Nichols.

"You'll spot passim this proceedings that successful summation to that way of destruction, helium besides near a way of evidence," authoritative Kaitlin Drake said.

"The grounds is going to amusement that there's going to beryllium important unanswered questions," defence lawyer Richard Beshwate said.

Nichols is accused of gunning down Ibrahim Muhammad successful 2023. The unfortunate died successful Southwest Fresno 25 minutes aft dropping his woman disconnected astatine work.

There were 15 rounds fired from astatine slightest 2 guns.

"The defendant, connected that GPS monitor, was astatine the country of the homicide astatine the clip of the homicide," Drake said.

Drake outlined a tangled web of pack connections, calling it a lawsuit of retaliation pursuing a sidesplitting months earlier. She told jurors determination was a $10,000 bounty.

"You'll perceive that astatine the clip of this shooting, arsenic of June of 2023, determination was heated hostility betwixt those 2 transgression thoroughfare gangs," she said.

Investigators judge Nichols was besides down different shooting 3 days earlier.

"The grounds you'll perceive suggests that the archetypal shooting was not astir gangs," Beshwate said. "It was astir a rivalry implicit a woman."

Nichols has denied it all, pleading not blameworthy to murder, 2 counts of attempted murder, and firearms charges.

Beshwate claims the suspect's individuality is inactive an issue.

"Even if the investigators judge that the ammunition casings were from the aforesaid gun, it doesn't place the shooter," helium said. "A witnesser who was astatine the country of that shooting described an idiosyncratic that doesn't lucifer my client's description," helium added later.

The proceedings resumes connected Thursday.

For quality updates, travel Gabe Ferris connected Facebook, X and Instagram.