MIAMI (WSVN) - After six days in the murder trial of Davonte Barnes, the case was turned over to the jury.
It was a busy day in court Friday morning as the defense asked the judge for a judgment of acquittal and a mistrial. Both of those requests were denied.
Barnes, 24, told the jury he will not testify.
Barnes is being charged with three counts of first-degree murder and 20 counts of attempted murder for his alleged involvement in a mass shooting that took place at the El Mula Banquet Hall on May 30, 2021.
He is being accused of being a lookout during the shooting that killed three people and injured dozens of others.
On Friday afternoon, the state and the defense delivered their closing arguments.
Over the course of the trial, prosecutors called 20 witnesses to the stand ranging from crime scene detectives to a medical examiner.
“To show you it’s not just the defendant’s statement, it’s corroboration and interconnection,” said a prosecutor.
Graphics were held up that depicted where Barnes allegedly was before the shooting
The motive, prosecutors claim, was bad blood between rivals.
In the courtroom, Barnes was seen with a slight smile after he looked into the audience once the state wrapped up.
“I would ask you to find Davonte not guilty,” said Robert Barar, a defense attorney.
Barar also mentioned how two hours of interrogation video audio was gargled and type out and showed the jury what Miami-Dade homicide detective Amanda Turnes said.
He also claimed that Barnes was fed information, and there was a lack of evidence.
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