Accused Bryant takes stand in murder trial

HUNTSVILLE — With his dying breath, Scott Hicks said he didn’t mean to shine a laser pointer into Dale Bryant’s window, according to testimony Thursday in a Madison County murder trial.

“Scott said ‘He killed me! He killed me! He shot me!’” said Justice Dill, who witnessed the shooting.

“He said he didn’t mean to! He didn’t mean to!” said Dill, referring to a laser light.

“Scott apologized” to Bryant earlier that morning, said Dakota Stillwell, another witness who testified Thursday.

“He said if he did it, he didn’t mean to.”

Dale Wayne Bryant, 56, of Combs is charged with first-degree murder in the Aug. 8, 2018, shooting of

30- year- old Samuel Scott Hicks. Bryant’s attorney said the shooting was in self-defense.

Bryant shot Hicks in the back with a 12-gauge shotgun after an argument, according to a probable-cause report. Hicks died at the scene. Eight buckshot pellets entered his back and two exited his front, shredding some vital organs in the process, according to a report from the Arkansas Crime Laboratory.

Bryant told police “he was having neighbor troubles,” according to the report by Lt. Russell Alberts of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

Bryant cited laser lights being pointed in his windows at night, loud music, loose dogs and what he believed to be a thriving methamphetamine business going on next door to his house.

“I Googled how to tell if your neighbors are making meth,” Mary Bryant, Dale’s wife, testified Thursday. “Some nights there will be 40 cars coming and going, stopping for just a minute.”

Dale Bryant testified his family has been living in the house on Madison County 4322 in Combs for 15 years.

He said the property next door is owned by Raymond Watkins, a former Combs mayor who is about 90 years old.

Bryant said his problem wasn’t with Watkins. It was with his grandson, Dakota Stillwell, and others who spent time at his house next door.

Bryant talked to Stillwell, who said he would take care of the problems Bryant mentioned, including dogs bringing trash onto Bryant’s property.

Tensions between the neighbors escalated early on the morning of Aug. 8, 2018, when Bryant shot Stillwell’s dog, according to court testimony. “A pack of dogs was back on my side of the fence,” testified Dale Bryant. All of the dogs went back under the fence except for one. Bryant said he meant to shoot near that one to scare it, but when he pulled the trigger, he heard the dog yelp.

Stillwell testified he found his terrified dog on the front porch with blood on its face and a hole in its ear.

Carrying his pump shotgun, Dale Bryant walked to his neighbor’s house to talk to Stillwell. Outside the house, he was met by Stillwell and Aaron Burnett, who was holding a single-shot shotgun.

They talked and at some point everyone calmed down.

Then Hicks came walking up the road.

Bryant said Stillwell pointed at Hicks and said, “There’s the sorry SOB you need to be talking to. He’s the one who’s been causing all these problems.”

Bryant said he told Hicks he wanted to speak to him and started walking toward Hicks. There are rocks and rugged terrain in the area.

“I was looking down to make sure of my footing,” said Bryant. “But when I looked up, Scott is right on me and gives me a chest bump.”

Bryant said Hicks was shirtless, perspiring heavily and had “eyes like a wild bull.”

Others testified Thursday that Bryant hit Hicks in the face with the gun, but Bryant said he didn’t. Alberts testified there was no sign of injury to Hicks’ face.

Bryant said he didn’t have a good grip on the gun. He said Hicks took it from him and threw it across the road.

Bryant said Hicks hit him six or seven times before he lost consciousness.

Bryant said he believes he had a concussion. When he came to, a few minutes later, his vision was like a train exiting from a dark tunnel.

Bryant said he found his gun, and Stillwell started lecturing him about coming over to his house with a gun threatening people.

Bryant said he saw Scott Hicks on Stillwell’s porch, “bowed up like a gorilla on something, mumbling.”

“I tell him he is crazy,” said Bryant. “I pointed at him with my left hand and said ‘That man should be in jail or prison. Same for you two,” referring to Stillwell and Burnett.

Bryant said Hicks pointed toward the front of a Chrysler sport utility vehicle, where he believes someone left the single-shot shotgun.

“He says ‘ Give me that gun. I’m going to kill that blankedy blank,” said Bryant.

“I thought, I’ll put the fear of God back in him, scare him,” said Bryant. “I pulled up. Boom.”

Bryant said the buckshot hit a tree.

“He did not flinch, did not change stride,” said Bryant. “He turns his head back, mouths something to the effect of ‘Is that the best you’ve got?’ or ‘ Is that all you’ve got?’”

Bryant said Hicks bent down by the Chrysler. When he raised back up, Bryant said he could see something in his hand.

“All my mind said is, ‘Gun! Gun! Gun!’” said Bryant. “I pull the trigger. It strikes him. He turns back up the hill and falls on his back.”

Terry Harper, Bryant’s attorney, asked if he could have retreated instead. Bryant said no. “Panic and fear for my life had set in because I realize I’m in the bull’s arena,” he said.

Bryant said he regrets the shooting every day.

“I’ll have to live with it from now on,” he said. “You wake up thinking about it and you go to sleep thinking about it.”

Testimony in Bryant’s trial took place on Wednesday and Thursday. Closing arguments are scheduled for first thing today.

Bryant