Self-defense claimed in murder trial

FAYETTEVILLE — A Sherwood man is claiming self-defense in a murder trial that began Monday in Washington County Circuit Court.

Christopher Rankin, 25, is charged with shooting Trenton Coney to death in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2018 in a parking lot off West Avenue.

Coney, 22, of Springdale, was shot once in the chest and pronounced dead at a hospital, according to police.

“This is not a whodunit,” John Snyder, deputy prosecuting attorney, told jurors. “There’s not a question as to who, how, when, where, only why? The defendant shot and killed Trenton Coney, we know that. Why did it happen?”

Several witnesses told police Rankin was talking with Lillian Gracie Williams in the parking lot when Coney walked up to check on her. Coney and Williams were friends, according to a police report. Witnesses said Rankin got upset, pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and pointed it at Coney, according to a news release at the time of the incident.

The men exchanged words and Rankin put the gun back in his pocket before a physical altercation broke out, witnesses told police. They said Coney tripped and fell to the ground and Rankin stood over him, pulled the gun from his pocket and fired one shot striking Coney in his chest, according to the release.

Rankin fled before officers arrived, but police soon found and arrested him.

Police later found Rankin’s jacket, shirt and the gun a short distance from the parking lot.

Rankin admitted his involvement in the shooting but claimed he fired behind him as he fled from Coney, according to the police report. Rankin told police he did not know anyone was wounded.

“The issue in the case — the only issue in this case — is whether Christopher Rankin was acting in selfdefense. And, if he was acting in self-defense, your duty is to acquit,” Greg Klebanoff, a defense attorney, told jurors. “I do not have to prove that Christopher Rankin was acting in self-defense, the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was not.”

Klebanoff told jurors Rankin had never been to Fayetteville before the night of the shooting, he has no criminal history, and was trying to get a job with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office after having been a corrections officer in Texas for five years.

Rankin walked Williams to her car and they were talking when Coney approached

suddenly with his hands in his pockets and his face obscured, Klebanoff said. Rankin felt threatened and words were exchanged and there was some shoving. Klebanoff said Coney threw the first punch to Rankin’s head.

Williams testified Monday she didn’t know who started the fight but she did not think Coney was doing anything to provoke Rankin. Williams said Coney was not acting in a threatening manner.

Rankin faces 10 to 40 years in prison or life imprisonment if he’s convicted of first-degree murder. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond. Trial resumes at 9:30 a.m. today before Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay.

Rankin