Selma man faces murder charges

By Steven Jones
The Selma Times-Journal
Antonio “Meechie” Hardy, dressed in all black,and stared impassively into the distance, while prosecutors questioned witnesses who say he shot and killed Quincey Dudley in April 2004.
“Antonio Hardy slapped Quincy Dudley in the face, stepped back, drew a pistol, pointed it at him and shot,” Fourth Judicial Circuit prosecutor Tracy Roberts told the jury in his opening statement in Judge Thomas Jones’ court Tuesday.
Hardy, of Ickerman Alley, was arrested on Friday, April 23 for the murder of Dudley — also known as “Q” — after he and Dudley allegedly fought over Hardy’s girlfriend, Angie “Angie B” McDaniel, according to police reports.
Dudley was found dead between two houses at 310 and 314 Alabama Ave., between Laspley and Pelham Street.
He was shot once. According to autopsy reports, he was shot with a 9 mm in the left side. The bullet went through his chest, exited out the right side and penetrated his right arm.
Dudley, a known drug dealer, was lured to the home of Hardy’s father — Johnny Mac Hardy — on 304 Alabama with the promise of a sale, according to the prosecutor.
Hardy argued with his girlfriend earlier that night, Roberts said.
When Dudley arrived, a witness said Hardy slapped him and then shot him as Dudley ran for cover.
At yesterday’s trial, the state presented witnesses they say proves Hardy’s guilt.
The defense disagreed.
P. Vaughan Russell Sr., representing Hardy, said the prosecution didn’t have sufficient physical evidence to justify the charges.
Russell said the state couldn’t produce a weapon in the case and that the witnesses were unreliable at best.
“We expect there will be evidence in the case that is highly questionable,” Russell said in his opening statement. “This case is more like Sherlock Holmes in the 17th Century than CSI.”
Russell said the witnesses in the case were coerced by the police, investigators and prosecutors.
“(The) witnesses have an agenda,” he said. “We think that will be part of this case.”
The prosecution opened the case with testimony from Dudley’s girlfriend, Mary Lynn Johnson, who was living with him on Washtington Street at the time of the murder.
She testified that Dudley left their home in her 1995 white Nissan Maxima at around 10 p.m. the night of the murder.
“What did he say?” Roberts asked.
“‘Baby, I’ll be right back,’” she said.
Later, Johnson received a call from the Selma Police Department reporting that her car had been found abandoned.
After a brief cross, Roberts called Officer Carlos Jones to the stand.
Carlos discovered Dudley’s body at about 6 p.m. the day after the shooting.
Showing grisly crime scene photos, Jones explained in detail how the body was found and why police couldn’t find it quicker.
Roberts asked Jones if he knew who the body was.
“Yes,” Jones said.
“How?”
“We went to school together,” Jones told Roberts.
As Jones described the scene depicted in the photos, Dudley’s mother burst into tears and fled the room.
Russell asked Jones about Johnny Mac’s home.
Russell alleged that the home was a “shot house,” a home where alcohol was illegally sold and served.
“I can’t say,” Jones said.
Jones also said the body was found with $704 in cash and a bag of cocaine and a bag of marijuana, after questioning from Russell.
Brian Johnson took the stand for the prosecution next.
Johnson, who wore a Bama Budwieser uniform to court, testified that he was inside Johnny Mac’s when the shooting occurred.
Johnson told the court that Hardy was arguing with a woman when he arrived.
Later, Johnson said, a man he didn’t know arrived in a white Nissan.
Hardy went outside with two others.
“I was in the house when I heard some shots,” Johnson said. “I went outside.”
Johnson said Hardy told the group when he came outside that he’d slapped and believed he’d shot “Q.”
“He just said it,” he said.
Johnson testified that he turned off the radio in the Nissan, per Johnny Mac Hardy’s instructions.
Antonio Hardy told him to get in the car and move it, Johnson said.
Johnson then drove the car to Ickerman Alley.
Hardy again told him to move the vehicle.
“I didn’t move it anymore,” he said.
Johnson testified that the left with a friend after that.
Russell cross-examined Johnson.
Russell alleged that Johnson only testified after police and investigators coerced him. He said Johnson had changed his statement at least twice.
“You invented all this mess,” he said. “You made it up.”
“I didn’t make up anything,” Johnson said.
Next, Roberts called Jowana Chaney to the stand.
Chaney said she saw a white Nissan pass by her home followed by Hardy in his car.
She said she recognized Hardy’s car because of the cracked windshield.
She also told the court that two streetlights in front of her home allowed her to see Hardy driving.
“Those two cars went into Ickerman Alley,” she said.
Russell said her statement also changed.
He said she told police the other side of the windshield was cracked.
“When I made that statement I was nervous, upset, mad and pissed off,” she told Russell.
Russell entered into evidence an invoice or work order. He indicated it showed the windshield was fixed on March 30, 2004, about three weeks before the crime was committed.
He asked Chaney to tell the juror about the document, but an objection raised by Roberts was sustained.
Jones said Chaney couldn’t speak to exactly what the document signified.
Roberts then called Shawn Leashore, 31, of Selma to the stand.
Leashore testified that he was at Johnny Mac’s for much of the night and witnessed the crime.
He said he arrived at the home at about 9:45 p.m. He said that Hardy and McDaniel were arguing.
“They were arguing about Angie being at a room with Quincy,” he said. “The next thing I knew, he slapped her.”
After Angie left, he testified that he knew Hardy called Dudley. Hardy told people there when Dudley arrived they would fight, Leashore said.
He said about 15 minutes later Dudley arrived.
“All of us went (outside) at the same time,” he said.
“Why?” asked Roberts.
“‘Cause we was going to see a fight,” he said.
Dudley said Hardy wasted no time.
“(Hardy) just walked up to him and slapped him,” he said. “Then Quincy pulled his shirt up.”
“Did you see any weapons?” Roberts asked.
“I didn’t see none,” Leashore said. “I saw Antonio pull out a gun and shoot twice.”
“What kind?”
“A 9 mm.”
“What color?”
“All black.”
“You knew Antonio to carry a gun?”
“Yeah.”
“What was Quincy doing when he got shot?”
“He was trying to get away,” Leashore said.
Later, Leashore testified that Hardy sent him between the two houses where Dudley ran.
“Antonio asked you to look between 310 and 314 (Alabama Avenue). Did you go far?” Roberts asked.
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was scared.”
Leashore told Hardy he didn’t see Dudley.
Hardy went looking for himself, Leashore said.
“He had a cell phone with him,” Leashore said.
Robert asked where it came from.
“Out his pocket.”
“Who’s pocket?”
“Quincy’s.”
Roberts said that Leashore’s statement changed during the investigation.
He asked Leashore what he told police first.
“I told them I didn’t do nothing or see nothing or know anything at all,” he said. “I didn’t want to get involved. I was scared.”
Russell questioned Leashore’s credibility.
“We know you lied, the only question is if you lied then or now,” he said.
“I lied then,” Leashore said.
He again asked about the purpose of Johnny Mac’s home.
“This 304 is a shot house?”
“Yes,” Leashore said.
He also asked Leashore why he didn’t call authorities.
“You think a shot man might need an ambulance?” he asked.
“Yes,” Leashore said.
Russell also questioned Leashore’s ability to see and hear everything that occurred.
“You must be leaping across that yard,” Russell said.
Russell also questioned his sobriety that night.
“How much reefer had you smoked and how much alcohol had you drunk?”
“I can’t recall,” Leashore said.
Then Russell asked Leashore about his statements and why they changed.
“They told you you were a suspect didn’t they?”
“They said I can go down too,” Leashore said.
He was the last witness called in the trial.
Shortly after Leashore left the stand, Jones called for an overnight recess.
Russell said he was pleased with the progression of the trial so far.
“A lot of things don’t make sense,” he said. “This case doesn’t make sense and won’t make sense.”
Neither Roberts nor district attorney Michael Jackson wanted to comment on the case. The trial will resume today at 9 a.m.