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'They were gloating about what they had done:' Co-defendant testifies in double murder trial
By Ashley Remkus
AL.com
Amani Goodwin made good on part of his plea deal today, taking the stand today to testify against his accused accomplices in the random slayings of two men in Decatur.
Goodwin explained to the jury how he and three other young people went on a crime spree through the southwest side of the city in May 2015, committing multiple armed robberies, killings and shootings into homes. Goodwin, now-20, was just 17 at the time.
He implicated himself as the group's driver and also described Cortez Mitchell's role as an accomplice.
Mitchell, now-19, is on trial this week in Morgan County Circuit Court. He faces 11 felonies, including capital murder, first-degree robbery and shooting into occupied dwellings. Mitchell was just 16 at the time of the crimes.
Brothers Joseph and Cedric Cowan also are charged with those crimes and could face trial later this year. The brothers, Goodwin testified, were the ones who gunned down Antonio Hernandez-Lopez and Joshua Davis, both victims apparently chosen at random.
"They were gloating about what they had done," Goodwin told the jury about the Cowan brothers.
Being questioned by Morgan County prosecutor Paul Matthews, Goodwin walked the jury through the planning stages and the execution of the crimes. Goodwin said he stopped by the Cowan house to talk to his friend Cedric on May 13, 2015. During the conversation, "something came up about 'hitting licks,' which means robbing people," Goodwin testified.
Goodwin told the jury he went home for dinner with his family, then returned to the Cowan home later that night. When Goodwin got back, Mitchell, both Cowan brothers and a fifth person were there, he said. They all got in Goodwin's silver Nissan, with the Cowan brothers and the fifth person armed with guns.
The fifth person hasn't yet been identified, but Goodwin is cooperating with prosecutors to identify him. That suspect could face a robbery charge. Today was the first time the fifth suspect has been mentioned publicly.
Goodwin told the jury about the first robbery at a playgroud near Julian Harris Elementary. He testified that he stayed in the car while the others robbed a group of teenagers. Cash and cellphones were taken in the robbery.
Goodwin told the jury the fifth suspect didn't make it back to the car fast enough and got left behind as the other four fled the scene. After that, Goodwin testified they went to Walmart in nearby Moulton. On the way back, the Cowan brothers tried to rob and shoot a man they saw walking down the road in Decatur, Goodwin testified.
The group of four reconvened the evening of May 15. Goodwin testified he drove and the Cowans brought their guns. Two homes were shot into before Hernandez-Lopez was gunned down at his Albert Street home and Davis was killed in Wilson Morgan Park.
The victims were robbed of cellphones and cash. Goodwin told jurors the Cowan brothers were the shooters.
Goodwin pleaded guilty last month to three counts of robbery and two counts of felony murder, records show. Goodwin was 17 at the time of the crimes, and police have said he drove the car that carried the suspects through the crime spree. If convicted by a jury Goodwin could have faced life without parole. Instead, he was sentenced to 20 years for each robbery and life sentence for each murder, leaving him eligible for parole in the future.
Prosecutors gave Goodwin a deal in exchange for his testimony against Mitchell and the other defendants.
Mitchell's trial began Monday. Testimony is expected to wrap up as early as Friday, with closing arguments slated for early next week.
Mitchell has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
Mitchell was a "mentally deficient, mentally challenged" with a mind and maturity "years less than a normal 16-year-old boy," Defense Attorney Joe Propst said. The defense will call few witnesses, he said, and Mitchell won't testify. The issue for the jury, he said, "is did Cortez Mitchell have the mental capacity to decide" to go along with murder?
Prosecutors have disputed defense evidence about Mitchell's limited mental capacity by showing he tried to destroy evidence. Goodwin testified today that Mitchell tried to conspire with him to blame the Cowans.
"He wanted me to go along with a story that we were forced and they held guns on us," Goodwin testified. "He wanted me to say they made us do it, that we had no choice."
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