Star Witness In King Carter Case Takes The Stand
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The star witness in a case of a Miami child killed in crossfire took the stand Friday.
The teen nicknamed "Juju" testified in a hearing to decide whether the state has enough to keep 18-year old Leonard Adams behind bars in the case of 6-year old King Carter killed in February, according to our news partners at the Miami Herald.
Seventeen year old "Juju" said he was hanging out on the steps of the Blue Lake Village apartments in Northwest Miami-Dade when someone got out of the car and started shooting.
That's when he said he "jumped up and started shooting back."
"Juju" identified positively identified Adams as being one of his assailants while in court.
Police said Adams, Irwen Pressley, 17; and Tamar Teems, 16, had started shooting at "Juju."
At some point, Carter who had gone out to buy candy was hit.
On the stand, "Juju" recalled Carter saying he remembers him like a little brother.
"Every time he would see me, he would call my name," said "Juju."
As prosecutors asked about the little boy, Carter's father stormed out of the courtroom.
"Juju" went on to describe how he and Carter's father searched for the boy after the gunfight. They found him in front of the apartment rental office.
Carter's death sparked rallies and protests in South Florida, calling for an end to violence that keeps claiming the lives of teens and children in Miami-Dade County.
Miami-Dade detective Juan Segovia also testified in the hearing and spoke about the investigation and how they tracked down Adams.
Police so far have arrested three teens and one of the teen's mothers in connection to the shooting.
Adams and Pressley are being charged as adults - facing charges of second degree murder. Teems, 16, turned himself in to police. He's been charged with attempted murder and second degree murder.
Police also arrested Adam's mother, Tameka Thompson, 41, accusing her of tampering with evidence. Investigators said she hid the car believed to have been used in Carter's murder. After an exhaustive search, detectives found that car at a junk yard.
The judge in the case said Friday he might make a ruling on Adams' hearing the same day.
