Jakeem Towles
A Lancaster County judge has ruled that witness identifications of a man charged with killing a Columbia hip-hop artist are allowed at trial.
Defense attorneys for Jakeem Towles had argued that "suggestive" photographic lineups swayed four witnesses to name Towles as the killer.
Columbia police charged Towles, 21, with shooting Cornell Stewart on May 7, 2010, outside a music concert at a fire hall.
Towles had gotten into a fight with one of Stewart's partners inside the concert earlier that night, police allege. Stewart, 20, who used the stage name "Young E-Z," was fatally wounded by a shot to the head.
Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty next month at Towles' trial.
Several witnesses identified Towles as the shooter, according to testimony at a Wednesday hearing.
Four witnesses pointed to Towles in a photo lineup, according to testimony.
County Judge Howard F. Knisely ruled the identifications permissible at trial. The photo lineups weren't suggestive, Knisely wrote in an opinion.
"Defendant's picture does not stand out any more than those of the others," the judge wrote.
Knisely also ruled that Towles' statement to police is fair game at trial.
Defenders had argued the statement was taken illegally. Knisely ruled that Towles volunteered the statement and wasn't forced to say anything.
