Defendant’s testimony challenged
A West Virginia man took the stand during a Fayette County criminal homicide trial on Wednesday and testified that he was one of the last people to see Michael Watkins alive. But Anthony Powell of Morgantown told jurors that Watkins, 42, of Pittsburgh was alive when he left 503 Hunters Ridge in Redstone Township the afternoon of Aug. 20, 2007. Powell told jurors he let Charles Green, 29, of Uniontown into the apartment with the approval of its tenant, James Ulery, and then left.
A short time later, Powell testified that he saw Green running from the apartment, followed a brief time later by Ulery and his then-5-year-old daughter.
Powell was called as a prosecution rebuttal witness in the homicide case against Green, whom police allege stabbed Watkins six times in an upstairs bedroom of Ulery’s home.
His testimony contradicts that given by Green, who testified that he went upstairs to talk to Watkins and found him “gurgling.” When Green came back downstairs, he testified, Powell grabbed him, shoved him against a wall and threatened to kill him if he talked.
Yet, it was eventually Green that turned himself into police, and who was arrested and charged in Watkins’ slaying.
On the day of Watkins’ death, Powell said he had known Watkins about two months, and Green about a week and a half.
He recalled being in Hunters Ridge the evening of Aug. 19 into Aug. 20. While there he stayed at the Ulerys’ former home, Apartment 503. Powell referred to their apartment as “a trap house,” meaning a place where people go to get high, he said.
Powell testified that on Aug. 19, the crowd at the Ulerys’ home consisted of him, Watkins, their two female companions, Green and the Ulerys and their then-5-year-old daughter.
At some point, Watkins told Ulery to ask Green to leave, and he did, Powell testified.
Everyone but Green ended up sleeping at the Ulerys’, Powell said. He and the two women woke up and left, and Watkins remained upstairs, sleeping.
At some point in the afternoon, Powell indicated that he stopped back and James Ulery told him to try and get Watkins out of the house. Powell said he went upstairs and shook Watkins.
“He rolled over, and said ‘I paid them to stay here for the night and I’ll leave when I get up,'” Powell recounted.
Powell testified he was readying to leave, and as he was opening the door, Green was outside getting ready to knock. James Ulery said to let him in, Powell said, so he did and then left.
A short time later, Powell said he was talking to Jacqueline Mackey through her window when he saw Green “running down the middle of the street.”
Then came James Ulery and his daughter, Powell said.
Mackey testified as an additional defense witness that Powell came to her window and told her that Watkins, who went by “Black Mike,” had been stabbed and that “Chuckie” (Green) did it. Mackey testified that she never saw Green running, nor did she see Ulery and his daughter.
Powell said he ran to the front gate, where Ulery was telling his uncle that Watkins was stabbed. Powell testified that he and Ulery’s uncle talked Ulery into calling 911 because Ulery did not want to do so.
“Jimmy, you got a dead body in your house. If you leave and come back, you still got a dead body in your house,” Powell testified he told him.
Powell said he considered going back to Ulery’s home to see if he could help, but decided not to because he did not want to be the last person in the apartment with Watkins’ body.
A short time later, Powell testified he saw Green, who denied doing anything to Watkins. Realizing the police were there, Powell testified that Green took a hit of crack and then turned himself in.
Assistant Public Defender Jeremy Davis asked Powell if he heard Ulery had found out that Watkins was “pimping out” Ulery’s wife. Powell said he did not know that anyone was doing that.
Davis also asked Powell if he had approached the police to tell them what he knew. Powell agreed he had never done so.
“Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long to call me as a witness because I’m almost the last person to see (Watkins) alive,” Powell told District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon.
Also on Wednesday, a state police trooper testified Green never pointed the finger at Powell as Green claimed during his testimony Tuesday.
During a brief interview, before Green invoked his right to an attorney, Trooper James Petrosky testified all he said was that he saw Watkins “gurgling” in the bedroom of James Ulery’s apartment. About 10 minutes later, Green said, “I completed my mission,” Petrosky testified.
The trooper said that was not in response to any question because police had stopped asking Green questions since he invoked his right to have an attorney.
Green told jurors that he made the mission statement because he had turned himself into police, and then asked for an attorney.
Petrosky also testified that he never screamed at Green, as he testified.
“I treat people with the same courtesy I would like to be extended,” Petrosky said.
Vernon also recalled Ulery to the stand.
He previously testified that Green came to his door about 20 minutes after Watkins came to his home to use the bathroom. Ulery testified he refused Green entrance because he did not know him, and said he would send Watkins down when he was done.
About 10 minutes later, Ulery previously testified that he came into his living room and saw Green walking downstairs with a bloody knife in his hand. Ulery and his wife indicated that Green threatened to kill them if they told anyone.
Ulery testified that he knew the man that Green had accused of killing Watkins, but said that man was not in his home at the time Watkins was killed.
He testified that he and his wife, Watkins and the other man partied at Ulery’s former home the night before Watkins was killed. Ulery acknowledged they were smoking crack cocaine, and also told jurors he is currently in a treatment program to treat his addiction.
This morning, jurors will hear the closing arguments and charge of the law.
herald_standa477:
http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19897073