Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
In 2014, Shamiya Adams went over to her friend’s house for a sleepover on Chicago’s West Side. It was a completely random event. Calculating the odds that something like this could happen would drive a person insane. No doubt her family is wondering how or why such a tragedy could happen.
The shot missed its intended targets and left no trace that it had struck the building where the 11-year-old was. It made its way through an open window that was up a few inches just to let the air in. It then proceeded to travel through a closet wall, went into the bedroom where Shamiya was, and struck her in the head.
Now, a 24-year-old, Tevin Lee, has been charged with her murder. He is the one who police say fired the bullet that entered the skull of Shamiya Adams.
The Dueling Fingers Defense
As evidence for the prosecution, prosecutors will bring out another man who was with Lee the night of the slaying. It is this man, Lee’s defense team argues, who actually fired the gun into the apartment building that killed Shamiya Adams.
This presents a problem for the prosecution. If the two men are equally likely to have fired the gun, then you cannot convict either of them beyond a reasonable doubt, even if you know that one of them was responsible.
In this case, the prosecution has chosen one man over the other to act as their star witness. This man will testify that Lee fired the gun into a group of boys who he believed were responsible for beating up his friend and, presumably, fellow gang member. They will provide evidence that Lee later bragged about hitting one of the boys, but that turned out to be false. The only person who took a bullet in the exchange was Shamiya Adams.
The Evidence Against Lee
Prosecutors say that in July of 2014, a friend of Lee’s was attacked while riding a bike. The victim of the attack told his brother what had happened. His brother was a reputed member of the Gangster Disciples gang. Lee, who is also believed to be a Gangster Disciple, went back to the scene of the attack with the brother and the victim.
According to the victim, he told Lee that he did not see his attackers in the group of boys that had gathered in the parking lot. Lee fired into the group anyway.
Based on the strength of that testimony, prosecutors will seek to convict Lee of first-degree murder. However, Lee will testify that it was either the victim or his brother who fired the shots at the boys that took the life of Shamiya Adams. With only the word of a biased party to convict him on, this case could result in an acquittal.
Talk to a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney Today
If you have been charged with a serious crime like first-degree murder, David Freidberg, Attorney at Law can help you fight the charges and ensure that you are adequately defended against prosecutorial speculation. Call us today at (312) 560-7100 for more information.
