Testimony Begins In Philadelphia Headphones Murder Trial
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- Trial starts for a 21-year-old man charged with killing another young man who had survived a very difficult childhood, but had been thriving -- a successful football player planning on college -- when he was murdered in Overbrook just after Thanksgiving, 2013.
A Philadelphia jury has now heard opening statements in a case of murder, over a pair of headphones, and testimony begins this morning.
Prosecutor Brendan O'Malley has told the jury 21-year-old victim Christian Massey bought his prized Beats by Dr. Dre headphones on Black Friday, and the next day he was shot and killed after resisting when an armed robber sneaked up behind him and grabbed for the headphones.
O'Malley says defendant Arkel Garcia confessed and gave information not known to the public, saying the evidence will show he is guilty.
But defense attorney Josh Scarpello says Garcia, who has pleaded not guilty, was not there. Scarpello says the alleged confession was coerced and doesn't fit the facts.
He says this is a search for the truth, and the truth is the killer is still out there on the street somewhere.
