ATLANTA — Opening statements could begin as early as Thursday afternoon in the murder trial of four men accused of killing the brother of a prominent Atlanta pastor.
A jury was seated late Thursday morning. Felton D. Lovejoy, 19, Geno Lewis, 20, Montravious Bradley, 18, and Alejandro Pitts, 18, are all charged with murder, felony murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and participation in criminal street gang activity.
The charges stem from the May 7, 2013, slaying of 47-year-old Jerrick Jackson, the brother of Bishop Wiley Jackson. Police say five robbers were waiting at his Lowe Street home.
He and his fiancée gave the armed robbers their money and cellphones without a struggle.
[ When the armed men wanted to go upstairs to his fiancé’s daughter’s room, a struggle took place. ]
“Mr. Jackson was downstairs. He had been shot four times,” Fulton County prosecutor Gabe Banks said.
On Wednesday, a fifth defendant, Demetrius Morgan, 18, pleaded guilty to manslaughter gang activity and armed robbery. He took a plea deal that will send him to prison on a 30-year sentence with 25 years to serve.