YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Jurors were expected to hear closing arguments in the trial of a Washington state man charged with killing a teen during a drug deal.
Cameron Jay Helland, 19, was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 16-year-old Davontae Mesa, The Yakima Herald reports.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys spent most of Tuesday afternoon arguing over jury instructions, prompting a Yakima County Superior Court judge to move closing arguments to Wednesday.
Helland shot Mesa in self-defense at Yakima’s West Valley Community Park in November 2018, he said.
Helland was selling marijuana to Mesa, who grabbed him in a chokehold from the back seat and prompted Helland to shoot him, Helland testified.
Helland continued to shoot Mesa as he exited the vehicle, prosecutors said.
Witnesses have testified Mesa wanted to get back at Helland for stealing from him and that he planned to steal Helland’s drug stash.
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