May 18, 2013
The trial for a Dothan man accused of killing his girlfriend will resume Tuesday.
Attorneys for 25-year-old Antonio Smith do not dispute much of what happened the night the woman died. But, they claim the killing was a tragic accident.
District attorney Doug Valeska told the jury 21-year-old Lakendra Kirkland was shot once in the head in January 2000. Smith was arrested at the scene. Valeska said witnesses will testify Smith was drunk and waving a pistol around inside an apartment when the victim was killed during a domestic dispute.
Both sides agree that Smith told police different stories about how the woman was killed, but defense attorneys don't deny he fired the fatal shot. They contend the shooting was not intentional.
If jurors decide not to convict Smith of murder, they could find him guilty of manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide instead. A verdict is expected within a few days.
