Jury reaches verdict in Columbus murder trial over 2018 shooting, marijuana theft
A Columbus jury has reached a verdict in the murder trial of two defendants accused of killing a man to steal a suitcase containing 16 pounds of marijuana.
The jury found Dover Bartlett Coppins and Tommie Jamal Mullins Jr. not guilty of murder and armed robbery in the April 6, 2018, death of Branden Denson, who was gunned down outside a Buena Vista Road Pizza Hut as robbers took the marijuana from his Jeep Wrangler.
The two suspects’ families erupted in jubilation, as the verdict was announced, prompting deputies to order them to be quiet. The victim’s mother, Marcia Denson, stormed from the courtroom, accompanied by her victim’s advocate with the district attorney’s office.
The case began with five suspects, but was down to two by the time jurors heard closing arguments Monday and then began their deliberations shortly before 4 p.m.
They deliberated about two hours, using part of that time to review some of the video evidence they were shown during the trial.
Coppins was represented by attorney Shevon Thomas, and Mullins by Stacey Jackson. Both lawyers said afterward that they believed the conflicting testimony of the prosecution’s star witness, Eric Spencer Jr., led to the verdict.
The trial began with five defendants before Spencer pleaded guilty and testified against the other four. He later recanted his testimony, saying he had lied on the witness stand. After that, Senior Judge David Emerson on Friday ruled that the evidence against two defendants was insufficient to support the charges against them.
Emerson dismissed charges against Tyree Jaquan Smith and Johnathon Lemorris Swift.
Once charged with murder like his cohorts, Spencer pleaded to lesser charges while agreeing to testify “truthfully” against the other suspects. He testified March 24 and 25, giving a detailed account of each suspect’s role in the heist.
Spencer said Mullins arranged the rendezvous with Denson; Swift drove the rented Elantra they used; Smith took the marijuana from Denson’s Jeep; and Coppins fired the fatal shots as they drove away. He said his role was checking Denson for weapons as Coppins held Denson at gunpoint.
Mullins planned the robbery, but did not participate in it, staying behind, Spencer said.
Afterward, the suspects again met with Mullins, who divided the marijuana among them, keeping 10 to 12 pounds for himself, Spencer said.
While recanting that testimony Wednesday, Spencer said he lied about “everything that I said that they did.”
Denson’s robbery and shooting were recorded by a security camera on a nearby grocery store, but the blurry video does not show the robbers’ faces. Police said it still corroborates what Spencer told them.
The video proves the people who robbed Denson knew their roles in advance and executed their plan without hesitation, as the robbery and shooting took only 50 seconds, said prosecutor Peter Hoffman.
“This was planned and orchestrated,” Hoffman said. “It was not mere coincidence.”
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 6:26 PM.