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Published Tuesday, October 21, 2008 in Local

Two men on trial in shooting death at Fairmount Tavern

By Elizabeth Richardson

The Times-Herald

Jurors were seated Monday in the trial for the two men accused in the Aug. 17, 2007, fatal shooting of 20-year-old Jentera Bennett. Opening statements and testimony began Tuesday in Coweta Superior Court.

Assistant District Attorney Kevin McMurry told jurors Kentez Rafeal Glass is charged with felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Christopher K. Anderson is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

McMurry told the court that he will present eyewitness testimony, but that his witnesses aren't "choir boys and girls" -- they are the people who were at the Fairmount Tavern, 18 Landers St., on the night of the fatal shooting.

"Lots of people were there that night, but only one didn't go home," said McMurry.

Newnan police have concluded on Aug. 17, 2007, Anderson pulled a pistol and fired the first shot at Glass while at the Fairmount Tavern. A while later in the evening, Glass fired shots at Anderson -- some of which fatally wounded Bennett, said authorities

According to McMurry, the murder weapon has never been located.

Glass' attorney, Suellen Fleming, described her client, who's from Luthersville, as "the boy from the country." She implied in opening statements that he got caught up in the wrong crowd on Aug. 17, 2007 when he visited the tavern.

Fleming told jurors that the majority of the people at the tavern that evening were Anderson's friends. She accused Anderson of being the person who shot Bennett, also known as "Miss T," who happened to be his relative. Fleming went a step further adding, "my client never fired a gun that night."

According to Fleming, Glass plans to testify in his own defense about what happened that evening. She added that the prosecution's "eyewitness testimony" isn't as reliable as one would like to think.

Mike Daley, the attorney representing Anderson, told jurors in opening statements that his client is being "falsely accused."

"There is no evidence, just speculation," said Daley.

Daley pointed out that Anderson turned himself in to police days after the shooting, and that he's not charged with murder because police don't believe the evidence identifies him as Bennett's killer.

The first witness in the case testified she saw Glass start shooting as soon as Anderson stepped foot on the tavern property. She said that she heard Glass say as he walked off, "I told him I ain't nothing to play with."

Later in the afternoon, the disc jockey who was working at Fairmount the night of the shooting testified he saw Anderson in the tavern with the gun and heard one shot fired. Later that night, he heard more shots fired. The DJ never saw who fired the gun(s).

Newnan Detective Chad Wood took the stand Tuesday afternoon to testify about evidence collection and suspect interviews. He testified that Bennett died of an undetermined number of gunshot wounds -- undetermined because of the number of entry and exit wounds.

Glass remained at large for approximately two months before turning himself in on Oct. 16, 2007, according to Wood.

Testimony continued throughout the afternoon. The trial will continue today at the Coweta County Justice Center.