Opening arguments were heard as the criminal trial of Michael Eades got underway Tuesday.
Eades is charged along with Kevin King, Stanley Boynton and DeAndre Jones for the execution-style killing of 37-year-old Tyron Howard at Howard’s Blairsville Apartment in September of 2014.
During the opening arguments, District Attorney Patrick Dougherty said that the jury would hear of the events that lead up to Howard’s death, including testimony from King and Boynton, two co-defendants. Details were to include Eades’ request for King, Boynton and Jones to turn off their cell phones, and using a sword in the stabbing. He added that there was a plan in place when they got in the truck. Eades’ attorney, Robert Manzi, said that the jury would not get a clear understanding what happened as there would be conflicting reports from each of the witnesses, both witnesses changed their stories, and that both Byonton and Jones were offered reduced plea agreements in exchange for their testimony.
As part of the trial yesterday, Kevin King was called to the stand and he did detail the events that lead up to Howard’s death, including using the sword for the stabbing, and how the money was divided. But Manzi focused on inconsistencies between the interviews with police, the preliminary hearing, and the testimony King was giving today.
Eades is facing charges of criminal homicide, robbery, and conspiracy to both of those crimes.
