The man accused of pumping a baker’s dozen plus one bullets into former Jaguars offensive lineman Richard Collier finally is facing a judge and a jury, nearly 14 months after the incident occurred.
According to Paul Pinkham of the Florida Times-Union, the case went to trial today, and it will hinge on a secretly-made tape of an alleged confession by Tyrone Romaro Hartsfield.
Stephan Wilson, a friend of Hartsfield’s who is on federal probation for brandishing a weapon during an armed robbery, agreed to wear a wire after being threatened with arrest.
The contents of the tape have remained largely secret, due to a Florida law that permits prosecutors to conceal from pre-trial discovery evidence relating to confessions.
Hartsfield has proclaimed his innocence, which means that he’ll have something in common with the other prisoners, if/when Hartsfield is convicted.
Collier is permanently paralyzed from the waist down, and one of his legs was removed.
Given the sheer number of bullets fired, it’s amazing that he survived.
Now, he’ll get a chance to see justice meted out to the person responsible for Collier’s current condition.
If, of course, guilt can be established beyond a reasonable doubt.
