Another update from the Ink’s Nate Rawlings, who is covering the courts today.
Phillip J. Smallman, Keith Phoenix’s defense lawyer, spoke to the jury for roughly 45 minutes, trying to break down the prosecution’s case. “This isn’t a championship fight, not a prize fight,” Smallman told jurors, “it was a city street scrape.”
Smallman concentrated on dispelling the accusation that Phoenix beat Jose Sucuzhanay to death with a baseball bat because of racist or homophobic feelings. “The world is filled with hatred,” Smallman said. “This was not hate.”
Next up is King’s County Assistant District Attorney Josh Hanshaft, who will make the prosecution’s final arguments before the case goes to the jury. Stay tuned.
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