Derrick Nelson, a Columbus man accused of killing his mother’s boyfriend in 2013, claims to have shot the victim in self-defense.
Nelson’s murder trial continued Tuesday in Lowndes County Circuit Court, with the state continuing to call its witnesses.
Nelson, 22, is accused of killing Willie Hood Jr., at Nelson’s residence on Pine Street. The shooting happened about 1:30 a.m. May 18, 2013, according to authorities.
Nelson turned himself in after the shooting. His bond was set at $1 million.
Nelson’s attorneys say he shot Hood in self-defense. Hood was allegedly drinking at the party, and broke a bottle during an argument with Nelson and started hitting his own car and acting belligerently.
The state called Asia Nelson, one of Derrick Nelson’s sisters, to testify. Asia Nelson was present at the party and called 911 after Hood was shot.
Prosecutors played the 911 call recording in open court Tuesday. In the call, Asia Nelson told a dispatcher that Willie Hood Jr. had been shot. The dispatcher asked Asia Nelson who shot Hood. She said Derrick Nelson did.
Later in her testimony, Asia Nelson said Derrick Nelson, her mother and Hood had been in an argument when she got there. At some point, she said, Derrick Nelson shot a gun into the air in an attempt to quiet the situation.
During cross examination, Asia Nelson said it was common for Derrick Nelson and Hood to get into arguments or physical altercations. She said she didn’t intervene because she assumed they would calm down, as they had before.
As testimony continued, Asia Nelson contradicted part of a statement she gave to Columbus Police Department where she said Hood was shot in the head. She said she recalled saying it, but not seeing it.
“That’s something I didn’t see,” she said.
Throughout the day, the prosecution called witnesses from Columbus Police Department.
CPD investigator George Harris testified about a statement taken from Derrick Nelson after Nelson turned himself in.
Nelson’s statement said he removed a gun from the passenger side of a car that was close to where he and Hood were arguing. He fired twice into the air, according to the statement.
“I told Willie to chill out because I’m not trying to hurt him,” Harris, reading from the statement, said. “Willie then walked up to me while I had the gun in my right hand and we started wrestling. As we wrestled from the back of the vehicle to the front of the vehicle, me and Willie were still locking up with each other. Willie and I then fell on the hood and the gun in my hand went off.
Derrick Nelson, according to the statement, then threw the gun over a fence and left in a white Dodge Charger.
The trial is expected to continue today.
Assistant district attorneys Armstrong Walters and Tina Davidson-Brooks are representing the state. Brandon Langford and Donna Smith are representing Nelson.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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