Attorneys give closing arguments in Charlie Artis case

A jury heard two distinctly different views of evidence in the fatal shooting of Columbus Barber Charlie Artis as attorneys made their closing arguments Monday in the murder trial of Donteviouse Doleman and Edward Lee.

Defense attorney Jennifer Curry, who represents Lee, told jurors witnesses gave police differing descriptions of the gunman Jan. 5, 2012, when Artis was robbed and shot outside Charlie’s Barbershop in Gunboat Plaza off Milgen Road.

Some described a tall man with a long dreadlock hairstyle, she said, but Lee is a short man with short hair.

Prosecutor Wesley Lambertus disputed that: A customer entering the shop before the shooting that Thursday testified he noticed a man in a blue hooded sweatshirt waiting outside, and he had to look down to see into the man’s face.

That same witness later picked Lee’s picture from a photographic lineup, and so did two others, Lambertus said.

Curry said witnesses at first picked another man from photo lineups that did not include Lee. That suspect had dreadlocks, and police went so far as to get a warrant for the man’s arrest before determining he was innocent.

Defense attorneys also focused on “Chris,” a mysterious fourth suspect who’s not on trial and didn’t come into evidence until May13, when a codefendant testifying for the prosecution said a man named Chris was with the crew that went to rob Artis.

That codefendant, Demetrice Scott, said Chris was in a green car with him, Lee and Doleman when they drove to Gunboat Plaza to case Artis’ shop. A witness reported seeing four men in a green car creeping past the shop that day.

Scott is not on trial because he already pleaded guilty in exchange for his testimony. Chris is not on trial because authorities don’t know who he is. Lambertus said Scott never mentioned Chris until shortly before he testified in court.

Scott said Chris left the green car a few minutes before Lee got out to rob Artis. The men parked the car at Stratford Lane Apartments, on the far side of a wooded area east of Gunboat Plaza.

Lee wore a blue hoodie and carried a .38-caliber revolver, Scott testified. After leaving to go rob Artis, Lee came running back and ordered the men waiting on him to speed away, Scott said. Chris got back into the car around the same time, he said.

After the homicide, two eyewitnesses gave a police sketch artist their description of the man they saw outside the shop. When shown that sketch in court, Scott said it was Chris.

Attorney Will Kirby, who represents Doleman, hammered on that.

“Who is in this sketch?” he asked, holding the rendering for jurors to see, and later telling them, “Ladies and gentlemen, Chris is the shooter.”

Kirby also blasted the plea deal Scott got, noting the suspect faced five life sentences were he convicted of his initial charges, but now is expected to serve 30 years. All of Scott’s murder charges were dropped, even though it was his idea to rob Artis, and he drove the getaway car, Kirby said.

The jury had only about an hour to deliberate Monday before Judge Art Smith III dismissed them for the day. Jurors are to return at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Though much of the trial has focused on Artis’ homicide, the defendants also face multiple felony counts related to a series of crimes allegedly committed from Dec. 15, 2011, when Scott and Doleman robbed a woman of her Kia Sport, through Jan. 19, 2012, when all three were arrested for stealing a neighbor’s Xbox video game system.

Besides murder, court records show Lee faces three counts each of aggravated assault and using a firearm to commit a crime, two counts of burglary and one count each of theft and attempted robbery.

Doleman’s charges besides murder are three counts each of armed robbery and burglary, two counts each of aggravated assault and using a firearm to commit a crime and one count each of auto theft and theft by taking, according to his indictment.

Court records show Scott pleaded guilty Feb. 15 to three counts each of aggravated assault, armed robbery and burglary, four counts of using a firearm to commit a felony, and one count each of rape, attempting to commit a felony, felony theft and misdemeanor theft.

This story was originally published May 23, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Attorneys give closing arguments in Charlie Artis case."