JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The trial for a man accused in a drug dispute that turned deadly got underway Tuesday at the Duval County Courthouse.
Prosecutors say George Prince Junior went to shoot up an apartment where Miles Hall was located in retaliation to Hall shooting up his home the same day in 2019.
Hall’s girlfriend, 19-year-old Iyana McGraw and her soon to be born baby Milan, were also inside the apartment on Justina Road. They were killed by bullets fired into the apartment.
The shooting happened at University Townhomes building 11 apartment 63.
In court Tuesday, crime scene detective Kenneth Bullard testified that there were multiple shell casings from the shooting, in front the apartment and near vehicles.
Prince’s defense attorney questioned if the shell casings were all from the same person or not, this question could shed doubt on whether Prince was a gunman or if his bullet actually led to the death of McGraw and her daughter.
Dr. Robert Buchsbaum, Forensic Pathologist for the Medical Examiner Office district four, testified that he did an autopsy of McGraw and her daughter confirming the mother had at least two gunshot wounds that led to her death.
McGraw planned to attend Spellman College after giving birth to her daughter. She was days away from giving birth when she was killed.
The baby girl was born but, unfortunately, died just a few months after the shooting.
A police report notes that Prince’s cellphone linked him to the location of the apartment at the same time of the shooting. It’s anticipated that the state will link Prince to the shooting as well, while the defense will have to prove that there is doubt that Prince was there.
Prince is facing two counts of first-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Prince has entered a not guilty plea.
Gerod Fields was also charged with the murder of Iyana McGraw. Fields has pleaded guilty to his role in the shooting and is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
Hall was convicted of having a firearm as a convicted felon after detectives found guns and drugs inside his apartment, where McGraw was killed.