Marvin Jermane Davis allegedly emptied his gun at Michael Williams until a bullet paralyzed his legs and then pistol whipped him “old school” style while he struggled to crawl away and defend himself, prosecutor Miller Leonard said.
“It’s really disgusting, actually,” Leonard said.
Prosecutors and the defense gave their closing arguments to jurors Wednesday evening in the trial of Davis, 51. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Williams, 32.
Davis’ trial began Monday in front of Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman. Jurors were sent home around 5:45 p.m. and are expected to return Thursday morning for deliberation.
Williams was shot Jan. 3, 2020, at the Emma Wheeler Homes on Jeffrey Lane, Leonard said.
One of the bullets erupted Williams’ bowels into his body, Leonard said. He ultimately lost 50 pounds while his paralyzed body struggled to fight off the infection until he died in May.
“It was an awful death,” Leonard said.
Williams was defenseless and helpless without a knife or a gun, Leonard said, but Davis allegedly still beat Williams so badly he bruised his own hands.
It’s so easy to forget the human element of a young man’s life being stolen, and life is precious, Leonard said.
“We become so accustomed to seeing people die on TV,” Leonard said. “It’s sanitized.”
Davis’ attorney, Daniel Ripper, however, said the state presented its incomplete case with arrogance.
“You just need to listen to us,” he said of the state’s case. “We’ll tell you what to think.”
There’s not much question that Davis shot Williams, but it was done in self-defense, Ripper argued.
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Two witnesses testified to hearing voices shouting back and forth prior to the shooting, and Davis and Williams were allegedly known to have prior issues, Ripper said.
Williams walked toward Davis without a shirt in the pouring rain and said something to Davis, he said.
“What do you think he said? Ripper said. “I’m gonna kill you. I’ve got something for you. You’re gonna end up in those bushes.”
Erlanger records would later show hospital staff recovered a knife from Williams’ person, Ripper said.
The state allegedly chose not to analyze any of the evidence prior to the shooting that might have explained what happened, he said.
There were six cell phones collected into evidence, and there was not one forensic download to examine the content of those phones, Ripper said.
A muddy gun was also recovered from a smoker nearby the scene of the shooting. The gun is being called the murder weapon, but no fingerprints, DNA or witness statements link Davis to the gun, he said.
Chattanooga police’s lead investigator for the case wasn’t called during the trial.
“Why can’t we even hear from your lead investigator?” Ripper said.
Contact Sofia Saric at ssaric@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office / Marvin Jermane Davis, 51