Hamilton County Sheriff's Office / Adrian Darnell NixonThe Chattanooga police interrogation video of Adrian Darnell Nixon, 33, was played in Hamilton County Criminal Court on Thursday afternoon, and jurors heard the defendant repeatedly claim an unknown man shot and killed Jeremy Clark.
Nixon, of Chattanooga, is facing first-degree premeditated murder charges in connection with the shooting death of Clark, also of Chattanooga. If found guilty, Nixon faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 51 years.
On the third day of the trial, the jury saw video testimony of Nixon claiming he had nothing to do with the shooting.
"I was talking to [Clark] and to my cousin, and boom, it happened," Nixon said. "I don't know where that dude came from, but he shot him. He almost hit my cousin. He almost hit me."
Nixon then drew a sketch of where he parked and where the alleged unknown man approached the vehicle before reaching into the car through the passenger window and shooting Clark in the early hours of July 29, 2016, at J&J Lounge at 2208 Glass St.
"I didn't see his face. He had something on his face," Nixon said. "I just saw a gun. I'm in shock. I don't know what made that man walk up to my car."
In the video, Chattanooga police Sgt. Taylor Walker told Nixon his story and the physical evidence did not match up. Walker was the lead investigator on the case.
"Do you know what happens when you shoot a gun?" Walker asked. "The casings kick out the gun."
Walker then drew a sketch demonstrating to Nixon where the casings would end up.
"Those casings would hit the windshield and still be in your car," Walker said, adding the casings would not have been found at the crime scene on the ground.
"I don't know man," Nixon said repeatedly. "I didn't shoot that man."
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During proceedings earlier Thursday, Judge Don W. Poole denied the impromptu Wednesday afternoon petition to allow proof that the defendant was a member of a rival gang to the one Clark belonged to.
"I think it's unfair, and I won't allow it," Poole said.
The judge also said he wants to make sure the defendant has a just and fair trial, and admitting the evidence would be in violation of a previous agreement between the prosecution and defense attorneys.
Shelly Carman, an expert in firearms analysis with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, was called to testify. Carman tested the casings recovered from the crime scene and determined them to have been shot from the same weapon, but she could not determine which kind, narrowing it down to two models: Glock or Smith & Wesson.
While demonstrating to the jury how a similar gun functions, Carman said the casings will "eject toward the right and rear from the weapon" as the gun is being shot.
Her testimony mirrored Walker's explanation to Nixon.
Investigators did not recover a weapon from Nixon. Shell casings were not found inside the Dodge Challenger that Nixon drove to the lounge but were found in the parking lot.
Executive Assistant District Attorney Cameron Williams petitioned the court to enter audio evidence recorded by Walker of witnesses who failed to remember key details while on the stand Tuesday.
Poole allowed the audio to be entered as evidence.
In the first audio, Reginald Lacklin, who testified to the jury that he couldn't remember where exactly the shots came from, was heard saying, "I'm sure the shots came from the Challenger, because I saw it take off."
In a second audio clip, a witness who the judge ordered not to be named by the media, was heard saying he was "100% sure it was the man in the Dodge Challenger" who shot and killed Clark, after Walker asked him if there was a possibility someone from the tree line on the passenger side of the vehicle could have done it.
In a surveillance video from the lounge played earlier in the trial, a white Dodge Challenger was seen pulling up and stopping almost out of view on the far end of the parking lot. The video had no sound. Clark was seen approaching the vehicle, shortly after people were seen ducking behind vehicles and running. The Dodge was then seen speeding out of the area.
Contact La Shawn Pagán at lpagan@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow her on Twitter @LaShawnPagan.