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Murder, robbery case to go to jury
YOUNGSTOWN
Nathaniel Dumas was an integral part of the attempted robbery of Galaxy Seafood, and he must be held accountable for all of the consequences, including the death of the would-be armed robber, Warren V. Wright, at the hands of a city police officer, a prosecutor told a jury in her closing argument.
“Nathaniel Dumas was a part of the plan” to rob the Belmont Avenue store April 8, 2011, Rebecca Doherty, an assistant county prosecutor, said Tuesday. The prosecution maintains that Dumas, 36, of East Florida Avenue, intended to be the get-away driver.
The fatal shooting of Wright, 32, of Youngstown, by Officer Mike Walker, who was working store security, is “a naturally foreseeable consequence” of the robbery attempt, Doherty said.
Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court will give final instructions to the jury beginning at 9 a.m. today before the panel begins its deliberations in Dumas’ murder and aggravated robbery trial.
“Warren Wright’s actions were independent of Nathaniel Dumas,” said Dumas’ lawyer, Mark Carfolo. “Nathaniel Dumas was never a part of this,” he added.
A key prosecution witness was co-defendant James Thomas, 51, of Belmont Avenue, who pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery with a gun specification. Prosecutors recommended a low-end six-year prison term for Thomas in exchange for his testimony against Dumas.
Doherty said Thomas rang the buzzer to enable Wright to be admitted to the store.
“You can’t believe him. He’s a convicted felon,” Carfolo said, adding that Thomas has a prior fifth-degree felony theft conviction. “James Thomas has been nothing but self-serving in this case. He’s done everything he can to avoid the murder charge,” Carfolo said.
“You can say a lot of things about him, but he did take responsibility for what he did,” Doherty said. “When a crime is committed in hell, you’re not going to have angels for witnesses,” she added.
Saying Thomas’ version of events is corroborated by other witnesses, Doherty asked jurors to reach a verdict based on all of the evidence, which she said dovetails together.
Dumas continued to watch his trial elsewhere in the courthouse by Skype because Judge Evans said he was potentially disruptive.