After spending the day hearing testimony from several witnesses and closing statements from council, the jury in the case of the State versus Dantazias J. Raines was dismissed until 9 a.m. tomorrow when they will reconvene for deliberation. Raines is charged on nine counts for the murder of Brandy Turner Guined, a cab driver for City Cab of Thomaston who was shot and killed during an attempted robbery on December 21, 2011. He has pled not guilty to all counts which include malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, underage possession of a pistol/revolver and three counts of obstruction misdemeanor for struggling and attempt to resist arrest.
During the trial, jurors heard from the States’ key witness, Marquarious Traylor, who testified he was with Raines the night of the murder because they were on their way to rob someone. However, when Raines flagged down the cab, he kept walking and later ran home once he heard the gun shot and a woman scream. He also stated Raines had confessed that he shot Guined and he had recorded the conversation which he turned over to authorities; the recording was also played for the jury during court. In return for his testimony, Traylor was granted immunity by Assistant District Attorney Ben Coker.
In closing statements, Defense Attorney Monica Hamlett stated the only thing which tied Raines to the murder was the word of Traylor, whose motive was to keep himself out of trouble.
Look for a complete write up of the trial in Friday’s edition of The Thomaston Times.
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