Victim testifies in attempted murder case

By Joe Gorman

jgorman@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The victim in an attempted-murder case testified Tuesday that he was nervous the morning he was shot because he knew the word on the street was that he had “snitched,” or informed, on several people – and because of that there may have been a price on his head.

Nicholas Duecaster, 20, told jurors in front of Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas court that he was nervous when he drove the defendant, Keith Black, 27, of Reynoldsburg, to a house on East Lucius Avenue early Aug. 14.

Duecaster said just when he was about to leave, Black came out of the home. Black then asked him for change for $50, and when Duecaster opened the center console of his car to get money, Black shoved a gun in his face.

Duecaster said he floored the gas pedal and was shot about the same time.

“I started hitting the gas pedal and he shot me,” Duecaster testified.

Testimony in the case began Tuesday after opening statements. A jury was picked Monday.

Black’s attorney, David Betras, said in his opening statement that it was Duecaster who had a gun and Black and Duecaster struggled for the gun before it went off, wounding Duecaster. Betras said the car then sped off and his client threw himself from the moving car.

Black acted in self defense, Betras said.

“You have to ask yourself, what would compel someone to jump out of a moving car?” Betras asked.

Betras said his client had injuries that are consistent with diving out of a moving car as well.

Duecaster said he met Black while the two were in jail at the same time and then ran into him early Aug. 14 at a Market Street gas station. He said Black asked to drive him to East Lucius Avenue to do a “bop,” or drug deal, and Duecaster agreed.

Duecaster said he also had drugs in the car and that he used and sold drugs.

Duecaster said as he waited in his car for Black to come out of the home, he began to worry because he had heard chatter that he was talking to police.

“I felt something was going to happen,” Duecaster said.

Duecaster said after Black came out of the house, he asked him to drive him somewhere else before he asked for the change and pulled the gun.

Duecaster was wounded in the side under the armpit. He spent several days in the hospital.