Girlfriend of murdered James Chapman testifies against Kashaun Williams
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WARREN -- The live-in girlfriend and mother of 34-year-old murder victim James Chapman took the witness stand Monday during the first day of the capital trial of Kashaun Williams.
Williams, 30, is accused of murdering Chapman before shooting and attempting to kidnap the victim's girlfriend, 24-year-old Martina Moore. Williams faces charges of aggravated murder with capital offense specifications in the April 2 shooting.
The trial is taking place in the courtroom of Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Ronald Rice.
Williams is represented by attorneys Anthony Meranto and Thomas Zena. Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutors Christopher Becker and Gabriel Wildman are heading the prosecution.
While taking the stand as the state's first witness, Moore said she and Chapman had returned home to their 690 Lener Ave. residence late in the evening. After falling asleep, Moore said the couple later was awoken by the sounds of Williams outside their home singing the nickname of Chapman, "Jay Bay."
Moore told the court she recognized Williams' voice. She also said she heard him say, "Come outside before I shoot these cars and these dogs."
The noise from Williams also woke up Chapman's mother, LaShonyia Lynk, two sisters and his roommate, all of whom were present in the home that morning.
As Chapman and Moore got dressed, the sound of two gunshots allegedly fired by Williams were heard. Lynk's testimony elaborated further on the gunshots.
But as Moore continued recalling the early morning incident, she said when she and Chapman went outside to speak to Williams, he was leaning against Chapman's car and biting his lip.
Moore said Chapman told her to go inside. She went to the bedroom where Chapman's mother was staying and huddled over Chapman's sisters, who were 21 and 16.
Moore said she told Chapman's mother to call the police and, at the moment she said that, two more gunshots were heard.
Moore said she ran outside and saw Chapman on the ground with his eyes wide open.
"I could tell he was gone," she testified.
The next thing she recalled seeing was Williams charging toward her with a gun pointed at her while she attempted to run back inside the home, she said.
"I knew if I ran back down the hallway, I might get shot in the back," Moore said.
Moore said she tried hiding behind a couch in the living room, but Williams grabbed her by the hair and beat her with the gun as she frantically called out his nickname -- "Rudy" -- to get him to stop.
During the assault, Moore was shot three times and dragged out of the home, allegedly by Williams.
Moore remembered being hopeful when she heard the sounds of sirens edging closer to the home.
Moore said she grabbed the gun in a struggle with Williams, who by that point was attempting to stuff her head first into a truck. That was when a Warren police officer arrived on the scene.
Williams fled into the woods, where later he was apprehended.
Bod-cam footage from the arrest, which was played in court Monday, showed Williams striking a woman police officer in the chest.
LASHONYIA LYNK'S TESTIMONY
Lynk said she asked Chapman if she could stay at the home with his two sisters the day prior because the power was out at her home in Liberty. Lynk said, like Moore, she woke up to Williams screaming outside the home.
There was a pause for a moment as Lynk broke down into tears trying to give her recollection of the final moments of her son's life.
After regaining her composure, she said her son eventually went outside. She said she wasn't sure what to make of the situation but thought it may have been friendly based on the conversation.
But when Moore came back inside, the argument seemingly turned argumentative, prompting them to call police.
Lynk said she heard Williams say, "I love you, Jay Bay" and her son responded, "Do what you're going to do."
That's when the two shots that reportedly killed Chapman were fired.
Lynk said she threw herself on top of her daughters as they phoned police.
A snippet of the 911 call was played during the hearing and the 21-year-old sister of Chapman could be heard whispering to dispatch that an "active shooter" was at the home.
From inside a closet, she said they overheard the sounds of what appeared to be Moore engaged in an altercation with Williams.
FURTHER TESTIMONY
One of Chapman's sisters, along with several members of the Warren Police Department, also testified.
Officer Mike Edwards testified to guarding the gun left behind by Williams after he fled. He told the court that it took five officers to restrain Williams as he continued fighting with police.
Officer Abigail Krafcik testified to interviewing Moore after the shooting and discussed being the one to discover Chapman's body on the front porch.
Testimony will continue this morning with about six more witnesses expected to testify on behalf of the state.