Co-ed Kayla Fanaei Murder, Oct. 8, 2007

[CSAFD]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/Maverick1862/murder%20victims/KaylaFanaei.jpg

Jury set in McCarty capital murder trial

Aug. 25, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—- The jury is set in the capital murder trial against Maurice McCarty, who is charged with killing U.A.B. coed Kayla Fanaei in 2007.

Fanaei was found gunned down in her car in the Glen Iris School parking lot near U.A.B.‘s campus on October 8, 2007.

It took attorneys 4 hours to pick 9 men and 5 women for the McCarty’s jury.

Three men were arrested in Fanaei’s death, but prosecturs believe McCarty was the triggerman.

Prosecutors admit the murder weapon was never recovered and they do not have any fingerprints or D.N.A. evidence.

The trial is expected to last through Thursday.

http://www2.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/jury_set_in_mccarty_capital_murder_trial/88729/

[CSAFD]

Co-defendant on the stand in Kayla Fanaei murder trial

August 26, 2009

Maurice McCarty is on trial for the shooting death of UAB coed Kayla Fanaei on October 8, 2007. McCarty faces the death penalty.

Maurice McCarty’s co-defendant Gregory Hill testified this morning.

Hill pleaded guilty to a lesser murder charge in the shooting death of Fanaei.

Hill testified that he was armed with a silver .38 caliber pistol on the night of Fanaei’s death. Hill described conversation he had with Fanaei.: “I asked her if she wanted to buy some weed. She said no and kept talking on the phone.“

Later Hill claims McCarty said, “ I’m fixing to get her.“ After the shooting, Hill said he asked McCarty, “Why did you do that?“ He says McCarty replied, “F*** that w****.“

Hill was then cross-examined by defense attorney Emory Anthony.

Hill admitted that he initially lied to detectives about ever getting out of car to approach Fanaei.

Hill said he grabbed the pistol from under the seat in the car to approach Fanaei to try and sell her pot. Hill said he always did that.

Anthony pointed out a string of lies Hill told detectives at beginning. He originally told police that he did not give a gun to McCarty.

http://www2.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/co-defendant_on_the_stand_in_kayla_fanaei_murder_tria l/89007/

[CSAFD]

Co-defendant testifies against slaying suspect in trial of murdered University of Alabama at Birmingham student

August 26, 2009

The verdict in the capital murder trial of Maurice McCarty in the 2007 slaying of a UAB student may hinge on the credibility of three key prosecution witnesses, including a co-defendant who admitted lying to police and then took a plea deal to testify.

The co-defendant, Gregory Hill, told jurors today that he was with McCarty and co-defendant Alfred Marina the night that Kayla Fanaei, 20, was shot to death while sitting in her car at Birmingham's Glen Iris Elementary School on Oct. 8, 2007.

Hill, who is serving a 25-year sentence after pleading guilty to felony murder in the case, said McCarty borrowed Hill's gun, shot Fanaei, then responded with a profane and dismissive comment when Hill asked why he shot her.

Hill, 22, admitted lying frequently to police when he was arrested in December 2007 for Fanaei's homicide, and said he never told officials the true story until last week.

But Hill denied the contention by McCarty's lead counsel, Emory Anthony, that he was lying on the stand today to protect his plea deal and deny culpability in Fanaei's death.

Earlier today, Kernisha Hughes, 17, testified that she saw McCarty, 21, clipping a newspaper article about Fanaei's slaying, then saying "It was my first kill."

But Hughes had trouble remembering details about other events around that time, or that she told police in 2007 that McCarty showed her a gun with blood on it. Today, she said McCarty showed her a gun but she did not recall if it had blood on it.

Yesterday, Anthony attacked the credibility of the third key witness, Hughes' 18-year-old sister Jammie Hughes, who testified that McCarty admitted to her that he shot Fanaei.

Prosecutors, who are winding down their case, have presented no physical evidence linking any of the three men charged in the homicide to the shooting.

The defense contends the Hughes sisters and Hill want to frame McCarty. Kernisha Hughes dated Hill's brother at the time and the two sisters did not come forward to police until days after another of their sisters and Kernisha Hughes' boyfriend were arrested for shooting Marina in the foot.

Testimony is set to continue this afternoon.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/08/codefendant_testifies_against.html

[CSAFD]

Judge Declares McCarty Case A Mistrial
Sept. 1, 2009

A grieving family goes back to square one as they look for justice in the death of a young woman. Tuesday, a circuit judge declared a mistrial in the capital murder trial of Maurice McCarty.

The judge's decision came down after jurors determined that further deliberation would not help them come up with a verdict.

McCarty is one of three men accused of killing 20 year old Kayla Fanaei back in 2007. Jurors had been in deliberation with this case since Friday. The victim's mother says she understands the jury not coming up with a final verdict right now. As for the defense, one attorney says the delay is good news, but no one's a winner when a life has been lost.

"I commend the jury for taking their time. I wish they had made a decision, but they didn't and I respect that they're not willing to make a decision one way or the other without facts to support it," says Attorney Emory Anthony.

"It’s just, I’m tired, you know. It's just tiring being here day after day, but you know, it's ok. God has given me the strength to deal with it since the day I found out about Kayla," says the victim’s mother, Robin Fanaei Groom.

Judge Pullium says McCarty could face a new trial in January.

http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Judge-Declares-McCarty-Case-A-Mistrial/imUvA1SHXkKJnRa72ZZm-A.cspx?rss=1659

[CSAFD]

Wend. Jan. 27, 2010, is a 2nd Mistrial in the murder of Coed Kayla Fanaei