The second week of the trial has ended on a dramatic note. The prosecution had one final witness to call, Dr. John Toppins. Toppins conducted two different evaluations of Wilkes and presented the results to the jury.
The trial then took a turn, and the courtroom began to stir as the defendant, Grady Wilkes, was called to testify. The week concluded with forensic psychologist Dr. John Toppins, who testified to the mental evaluations that he conducted on Wilkes.
Wilkes is the first witness to be called to testify by the defense. They asked him several questions starting with what time he arrived at home and went through details after his arrest. He also admitted to having previous struggles with alcohol and anger, and he made reference to taking medications but not taking them to avoid feeling weak. The defense claims Wilkes is not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
“The bullet would be traveling from front to back...it had somewhat of a left-to-right directionality to it. It actually, from what I can see here, clipped the top of the hood first, then penetrated the front windshield and went into that front dash,” said Dinunzio. The day started with Brooklyn Flaherty taking the stand, sharing what she experienced that night. She talked about what she experienced that caused her to call the police and also described what she saw when the shooting started.
The trial for a 32-year-old Alabama man charged with multiple crimes, including capital murder, has begun with opening statements being made.