Testimony set to start in trial of 2 white Mississippi men charged in shooting at Black FedEx driver

BROOKHAVEN, Miss. — Witnesses are scheduled to start testifying Wednesday within the trial of two white males in Mississippi who’re accused of chasing and taking pictures at a Black FedEx driver who had dropped off a bundle at a house.

Brandon Case and his father, Gregory Charles Case, are charged with tried first-degree homicide, conspiracy and taking pictures into the automobile pushed by D’Monterrio Gibson in January 2022.

Gibson, who was 24 on the time, was not injured. However the chase and gunfire led to complaints on social media of racism in Brookhaven, about an hour’s drive south of the state capital, Jackson.

District Lawyer Dee Bates informed the majority-white jury in his opening assertion Tuesday that Gibson made deliveries for FedEx on Jan. 24, 2022, whereas driving a rental van with the Hertz brand on three sides. Gibson dropped off a bundle at a house on a dead-end highway, Bates stated. Gregory Case then used a pickup truck to attempt to block the van from leaving, and Brandon Case got here exterior with a gun, the prosecutor stated.

As Gibson drove the van across the pickup truck, “pictures are fired,” Bates stated, with three rounds hitting the supply van.

Gregory Case’s legal professional, Terrell Stubbs, informed jurors that his shopper noticed a van exterior his mother-in-law’s unoccupied house and went to examine what was taking place. Gregory Case was simply going to ask the van driver what was occurring, however the driver didn’t cease, Stubbs stated.

The solar had already gone down. “It was utterly darkish, utterly darkish, and someone was within the unsuitable place,” Stubbs stated. “It wasn’t my shopper.”

Attorneys for Brandon Case didn’t give opening arguments.

Gibson’s legal professional, Carlos Moore, in contrast the episode to the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was working empty-handed by means of a Georgia subdivision in 2020 when three white strangers chased him down and blasted him with a shotgun.

Throughout a information convention days after the confrontation, Gibson stated he was carrying a FedEx uniform and driving the van FedEx had rented for his deliveries when he dropped off a bundle at a home. He stated the driving force of a pickup truck tried to chop him off as he left the driveway.

Gibson stated he swerved across the truck and encountered a second man who was pointing a gun on the van and motioning him to cease. Gibson stated the person fired as he drove away, damaging the van and packages inside. The pickup driver chased him to Interstate 55 close to Brookhaven earlier than ending the pursuit, he stated.

Moore stated Gibson continues to be employed by FedEx and is out on staff’ compensation depart. A choose dismissed Gibson’s federal lawsuit searching for $5 million from FedEx final week, writing that it did not show the corporate discriminated towards him due to his race. That litigation additionally named the town of Brookhaven, the police chief and the Instances, and Moore stated he plans to file a brand new civil swimsuit in state court docket.

Outdoors the court docket on Tuesday, Moore stated: “The household is cautiously optimistic that they’ll get justice right here in Lincoln County.”