Jury deliberations begin in Charleston Wells' murder trial

BESSEMER, AL (WBRC) - The case of a teenager accused of shooting and killing a Hoover veteran is now in a jury's hands.

Closing arguments wrapped but today in the trial of Charleston Wells, the 19-year-old, charged with murder in the January 2016 death of Iraq War veteran Mike Gilotti.

Wells' attorneys, Charles Salvagio and Tom Mesereau, urged the jury to follow the evidence.

"You have forensic evidence [Darrian] Bryant and [Ahmad] Johnson were holding those guns and no evidence tying Wells to the guns," Mesereau said, referencing Wells' co-defendants in the case.

Monday, Wells blamed them for the shooting, saying the two intended to rob Gilotti who was walking out of his Lake Cyrus home before his 5 a.m. workout when he was shot in the back in his driveway.

He said he, Johnson and Bryant were in a stolen pickup truck "checking cars" to steal items. They arrived at the Hoover neighborhood after stealing the truck in a Tuscaloosa neighborhood.

"He got in the car and wanted no part of it [hold up of Mike Gilotti],"Salvagio told the courtroom.

Assistant District Attorney Lane Tolbert said Wells' testimony "made no sense."

"You get to weigh his words," he said. "That man looked at you and lied."

Jury deliberations are expected to go until 4:45 p.m.

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