Trial begins for alleged killer of Andrew Graham: "No straight lines" says defense

The murder trial for Terrell Jones, charged with shooting and killing Andrew Graham in 2009, began Monday with both prosecution and defense making it clear the case would hinge on the testimony of three witnesses who have told conflicting stories over the years about what they saw and heard the night of Graham's murder.

"None of these individuals are saints," said prosecutor Chris Wilcox in his opening statement, "but they all identify this defendant as the one who pulled the trigger."

Graham was shot and killed Nov. 5, 2009, as he was walking from an RTD light rail station to his home in Centennial. Wilcox told the jury there was no meaningful DNA or fingerprint evidence in the case. He indicated that three witnesses who are expected to testify against Jones- Allen Ford, Clarissa Lockhart and Joseph Martin- all had significant criminal histories and Wilcox told the jury there are "inconsistencies" with what the three have told investigators over the years. Prosecutors believe all three were with Jones at the time of the shooting.

Wilcox said the four were attempting to rob Graham near the Park Meadows Mall because robbing citizens along Denver's 16th Street Mall had become problematic with increased police presence. Wilcox said Joseph Martin said "It was getting hot" in Denver which is why the group was in the south metro suburbs.

Lockhart, Martin and Ford have all pleaded guilty to lesser charges in connection to the Graham murder and all were sentenced to prison.

While acknowledging the reliability issues of the witnesses, Wilcox said several times that each of them have identified Terrell Jones as the person who shot Graham in the back as he tried to escape.

Evan Zuckerman, Jones' attorney, used her opening statement to criticize the credibility of the witnesses. 

"None of them wanted to go to prison," said Zuckerman, so she said, "They all pointed the finger at Terrell Jones." 

Jones was 16 at the time of the murder.

Zuckerman noted how the witnesses' stories have changed over the years, with the three sometimes implicating Jones in the shooting and at other times exonerating him.

Zuckerman said there were "no straight lines, no meshing" in the stories of what occurred,  and she noted there was an "astonishing" lack of physical evidence connecting Jones to the murder.

The trial is expected to run for about four weeks.