Djuan McLaurin Sr., charged with murder in the Dec. 31 shooting death of his friend, Sandros Boddie, enters a Lima courtroom Tuesday for the second day of his jury trial.
J Swygart | The Lima News
LIMA — Jurors in the murder trial of Djuan McLaurin Sr. heard from an assortment of law enforcement officers on the trial’s second day Tuesday. They also viewed photos of the victim in the case.
McLaurin, 46, is charged with two counts of murder, each unclassified felonies, and one count of felonious assault in connection with the shooting death on New Year’s Eve of Sandros Boddie Jr. after a day of drinking and playing dominoes.
With Special Agent David Hammond, a crime scene expert with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, on the witness stand Tuesday jurors viewed more than 70 photos taken at the crime scene, including several of the deceased victim.
Hammond testified that items of evidence retrieved from the murder scene at 2226 N. Glenwood Avenue on the morning of Jan. 1 included two 9mm handguns — a Mossberg brand pistol identified as the murder weapon along with a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol — along with a spent 9mm shell casing and two unfired 9mm bullets.
Also testifying Tuesday were four members of the Allen County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Justin Hillary was the first officer to arrive at the crime scene and testified that he encountered two black males tussling inside the garage. Hillary said Djuan McLaurin was lying atop his son and was placed in handcuffs when he failed to comply with commands to show his hands.
Deputy Konner Kranz was the first to observe Boddie’s body. He testified that he first saw a pool of blood near the garage door and then saw the body. Kranz said he attempted to administer aid but found that Boddie, 41, “was not breathing and had no pulse.”
Kranz also told jurors that he overheard Shawn McLaurin tell investigators that the shooting occurred following an argument between his father and Boddie. He said the younger McLaurin told officers Boddie had started to walk toward the door and said, “If you’re going to shoot me, shoot me. If not, then I’m going home.” At that point Djuan McLaurin shot his friend and attempted to shoot his own son, according to trial testimony.
Those statements mirrored testimony given Monday by Shawn McLaurin on the trial’s opening day.
Deputy Amanda Gilroy said McLaurin was placed in the back seat of her cruiser shortly after officers arrived at the Glenwood Avenue residence and “within a minute he was asleep and snoring.” She said he later woke up “and vomited in the back seat.”
Gilroy testified that McLaurin became “very irate and uncooperative” while being booked into the Allen County jail that morning.
Afternoon testimony Tuesday came from two experts from the Ohio BCI office in Bowling Green. Ted Manasian, an expert in gunshot residue analysis, said a GSR swab taken from McLaurin’s hands after the incident showed a positive finding that McLaurin had discharged or handled a recently-fired weapon.
Kevin Belcik, an expert in firearms analysis, testified that a Mossberg 9mm weapon believed to have been the murder weapon was a match with cartridges found inside a magazine at the murder scene.
Testimony in the trial will resume Wednesday morning and will come from a representative of the Lucas County Coroners Office.
SELF-REPRESENTATION?
The trial of Djuan McLaurin took a sideways turn after the lunch break Tuesday when the defendant informed Judge Terri Kohlrieser that he wanted to continue the trial by serving as his own attorney.
Kohlrieser spent the better part of an hour, outside the presence of jurors, explaining to the defendant the potential pitfalls of representing himself in the trial.
While at times argumentative when talking with the judge, McLaurin ultimately determined that having experienced lawyers representing him would be in his best interest.
“You’ve told me enough. I know I can’t do it,” the defendant said.
