Trial begins for former Virginia Tech football player charged with murder

CHRISTIANSBURG, MONTGOMERY COUNTY – Wednesday marked working day just one of the trial versus a former Virginia Tech soccer participant, Isimemen Etute. He is charged with 2nd-diploma murder in the demise of 40-calendar year-previous Jerry Smith on Could 31, 2021.

Etute has pleaded not responsible.

In court docket, Etute’s legal professionals argued that he acted in self-defense for the reason that he considered Smith was reaching for a weapon the night time of the alleged murder.

The Commonwealth suggests Etute should really be found guilty of second-degree murder for killing Smith just after finding the man or woman he had sexual encounters with was in point a gentleman and not a woman. Prosecutors reported that Etute had every appropriate to be indignant at the situation, but “Jerry did not ought to have to die.”

The 1st portion of the working day was spent deciding on the jury. 9 girls and 4 adult males, like 1 alternate, were ultimately picked. Various opportunity jurors had been dismissed for the reason that of past understanding of or biases in regard to the case.

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Then it was time for opening statements and witness testimony.

For the duration of the court continuing, Etute’s lawyer reported the jury would listen to from Etute himself.

Smith’s brother, John Smith, testified that he was the 1st to locate Jerry Smith’s entire body on June 1, 2021. He said that he did not concur with his brother remaining gay, but he did not know that Jerry was presenting as a straight lady.

Law enforcement say Etute to start with matched with Smith on Tinder on April 10. Smith experienced been posing as a 28-yr-previous lady named Angie.

The jury read from an qualified with the clinical examiner’s business office who said that just about each bone in Smith’s facial area was damaged and that he had basically inhaled the blood from his accidents.

The protection objected to several gruesome pictures demonstrating Smith’s bloody confront, but the judge permitted them to be offered to the jury as evidence.

Investigators testified that a big, serrated kitchen area knife was observed in between Smith’s mattress and box spring. The protection then introduced that knife to the jury as evidence in the scenario.

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The Commonwealth objected to exhibiting photographs of an additional knife in Smith’s basement, but the judge permitted that to be admitted into evidence.

Investigators say a further Virginia Tech soccer player, Jalen Hampton, had met up with Angie the exact same day Smith was killed. They said Etute was with a third Virginia Tech football player, Jordan Brunson, when Hampton named Etute to discuss whether they imagined Angie was a man or not.

The protection mentioned that Hampton described his come upon with Angie as “sketchy.”

Legal professionals in courtroom stated that the group prepared to confront Angie. Which is when Etute went back again into Angie’s apartment and the two had yet another sexual come upon prior to Etute learned Smith was a gentleman and allegedly defeat him to dying.

Graphic illustrations or photos of Smith’s overall body ended up demonstrated in court. The pro from the health-related examiner’s office reported that Smith died from blunt pressure trauma to the head. He experienced fractures to just about each individual bone in his encounter. The qualified also testified that there was bloody foam identified close to Smith’s mouth, which was a result of him inhaling the blood from his injuries.

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The demo carries on Thursday early morning at 9 a.m.

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