PANAMA CITY — The 2 ounces of marijuana at the center of a Panama City Beach drug deal turned deadly was abandoned at the parking lot where police found the gunned down body of 20-year-old Ryan Brooks, jurors heard Tuesday.
During the first full day in the trial of Randy Jackson, 23, many of the people around him before and during the shooting took to the stand against Jackson. He was among six people charged in connection with a July 10 robbery plot that ended with gunfire and Brooks face down on the pavement at the Club Apartments, 325 Richard Jackson Blvd.
Joshua Heath Smith, 23, and Alyssa Watford, 18, were two of those who testified Tuesday that a plot to rob Brooks of the marijuana led to the shooting. However, Jackson’s attorneys argued the fatal shots were in self-defense after the people he and Smith planned to ambush allegedly attempted to rob them at gunpoint.
While being questioned by investigators following the shooting, Jackson said he was defending himself. He initially denied any involvement until a picture came to light placing him near the scene at the time. Video from the interrogation was played Tuesday for the jury.
“I really wasn’t trying to shoot (the) dude, but what am I supposed to do when he’s coming up on me with a gun drawn,” Jackson told investigators. “… If I wouldn’t of shot him, I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”
Prosecutors called to the stand Smith and Watford — both of whom have taken plea deals to testify truthfully as to their involvement — to illustrate that Smith and Jackson armed themselves hours earlier with intent to rob Brooks.
Watford, former girlfriend of Brooks, arranged the meeting and a car to facilitate the robbery. She owed her current boyfriend, Smith, about $200 at the time from a loan on her rent, Watford told jurors, and arranged the robbery to clear her debt.
Smith corroborated that the group planned the robbery beforehand, but the scheme was fluid in design and depended on several factors. Smith also testified he and Jackson brought about $590 to purchase the marijuana if those factors changed and they decided to buy rather than steal the marijuana.
However, Watford told jurors the two men had no money with which to conduct the transaction.
“He wanted the money so I set up a robbery to get him weed,” Watford said. “… This was always going to be a robbery.”
Jackson also briefly mentioned, during the interrogation, the two did not bring money to what he said was meant to be a “snatch and grab,” he said.
Joseph Cannizzo, 26, also is charged in connection to the shooting. He is accused of attempting to rob Smith at gunpoint before the shooting.
Jackson faces charges of manslaughter, attempted robbery with a firearm and felony possession of a firearm.
If convicted, he could face life in prison. The trial continues Wednesday.