A man accused of dropping his Bible along with the clothing he wore and the weapon he used at a murder scene in West Park in March 2021 was found guilty Thursday of first-degree murder, guaranteeing a life in prison.
Prosecutors told jurors that Mario Williams fled the scene on foot after shooting and killing Joseph Jackson, ditching some of his belongings on the way. Those belongings included the gun, headphones, a sweater, a striped shirt a nd a Bible Williams had been carrying . The Bible was inscribed with Williams’ name and had a piece of mail addressed to the defendant.
Jurors took less than an hour to find Williams guilty.
Defense lawyer Eric Clayman tried to convince the jury that the presence of his client’s Bible near the scene, at the same location as the clothing worn and gun used in the crime, did not prove that the person who shot and killed Joseph Jackson on the bus on State Road 7 in West Park.
The lead detective on the case “made it very clear that the smoking gun is not the firearm. It’s the Bible,” said Clayman. “He found the book and reversed engineered (the case) so that it would fit … Jackson and his family deserve justice.” But justice, he said, would not be served by convicting the wrong man.