Death penalty trial starts today: Was it murder or self-defense?
A Cumberland County jury will have a difficult case to decide in the next few weeks: Did Terry Lee Broussard commit premeditated murder or was he acting in self-defense when he killed his mother's next-door neighbor?
Broussard stabbed his neighbor, 40-year-old Ronnell Wright, during a fight.
The jury will begin hearing evidence today. If it finds Broussard guilty of 1st-degree murder, the panel could sentence him to death.
According to lawyers involved in the case and previous news accounts here is the background:
--On the evening of Aug. 29, 2009, Wright went to the rear, sliding glass door of Broussard's mother's house on Vestal Avenue and smashed it. He ran back to his house.
--Broussard's brother confronted Wright outside. They argued. The police were summoned and the situation calmed down.
--Broussard arrived while the police were still there. After the police left, he and Wright began to argue.
--The argument escalated into a fight, and Broussard was losing. The evidence is expected to show that Broussard drew a knife and yelled words to the effect of, "I'm going to kill you!" and stabbed Wright once in the side.
--The blow ended the fight.
--The knife had nicked Wright's lung. He bled to death shortly after the fight ended.
The case is capital because this is the 2nd time that Broussard has killed - murder defendants with a history of violence can be sentenced to death.
But Broussard's prior killing also had circumstances that could make people pause before convicting him of murder.
In February 2003, Broussard shot to death his mother's ex-husband. In 2003 she said that Broussard was protecting her from the ex, whom she described as abusive. She said her ex-husband had locked her in her bedroom and wouldn't let her out. Broussard confronted him outside the door. She said she heard them argue and then gunshots.
Charged with 2nd-degree murder for that slaying, Broussard pleaded guilty in January 2004 to manslaughter and served several years in prison.
(source: Fayetteville Observer)
Bookmarks