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Testimony of two co-defendants in murder trial differ
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Two men who said they were involved in a robbery that resulted in the death of James Levels, 64, on April 7, 2014, and wounding of Lisa Prater, 39, on South Street Southeast testified against the man they say pulled the trigger.
Beau Palmer, 31, of Clermont Avenue Northeast, and James Stein, 30, of Atlantic Street Northeast both testified Thursday they heard four or five gunshots while waiting in a car for Michael B. Settle, 27, of Sherman Avenue in Niles, and Tyler Meardith, 24, of Clearwater Street Northwest, to return from committing the robbery.
Their testimony came in Settle’s murder trial in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. Testimony resumes today.
Both said Settle ran from Prater’s house, got in the car and told them he’d fired his gun during the robbery because the man inside tried to “grab the gun” off him.
They both said they saw Meardith running from the house shortly after the gunfire started and that Meardith didn’t get back in the car. Instead, he ran away on foot.
They gave many other details during their testimony that matched each other’s, but they also contradicted each other at numerous points.
Palmer is due to get 12 years in prison, and Stein will get seven under the terms of their plea agreements. Meardith agreed to spend 18 years in prison and testified Wednesday.
Settle could get life in prison without parole if he’s convicted of aggravated murder. He’s also charged with several other offenses.
Palmer and Stein were vastly different in their attitude toward answering questions from Chris Becker, assistant county prosecutor.
Palmer answered slowly and stated several times he couldn’t remember details. Stein spoke rapidly and confidently.
Palmer testified Stein burned the gun used in the killing, while Stein said Palmer sold it. The gun was never recovered, Becker said.
Palmer and Stein both have been to prison before, and both admitted they were drug dealers at the time of the homicide. Palmer said Stein sold drugs “on consignment” for him, a statement Stein denied.
Becker told jurors in opening statements there is little forensic evidence linking Settle to Levels’ death. Prater was shot twice in the robbery but could not identify her attackers because they wore masks, she said.
John B. Juhasz, Settle’s defense attorney, told jurors in his opening statement they will have to believe the testimony of Meardith, Palmer and Stein if they are going to convict Settle, but those three men are unbelievable.
During questioning by Juhasz, Palmer and Stein admitted they didn’t tell police the truth about their role in the crime until the second or third interview with officers.