Harper testifies that he shot man in self-defense; his brother says otherwise
Jury deliberations will continue in the murder trial this morning.
The second day of testimony continued in the trial of 29-yearold Grady Harper Jr. who is facing murder, aggravated assault and other felony charges for the June 16, 2018, shooting death of 36-year-old John Alton Allen Jr. outside of his Wright Street home.
The incident started the night before, when Harper’s brother, Jamal Harper, and Allen got into a confrontation near the Hop-N-Shop on Calhoun Avenue.
Wendy Williams — a friend of Allen’s — testified on Tuesday that Jamal Harper contacted her on Facebook after the argument, telling her to tell Allen he wanted to fight
— to get “his one.” The next day both Jamal Harper and Grady Harper walked to Wright Street — where Allen lived.
Grady Harper testified Wednesday that he’d brought his gun but kept it hidden. Despite being a convicted felon, he said he carried it regularly and didn’t know about the conflict between his brother and Allen until they ran into him in North Rome that day.
“That’s just a coincidence?” Assistant District Attorney Luke Martin asked. “He said he was going to get ‘his one’ in the morning. He brought his brother and a gun. That’s just a coincidence?” “Yes sir,” Grady Harper said.
A silver SUV pulled up beside them and the two men began arguing. They agreed to go down the street to fight. When they all got to the spot, Allen and Jamal Harper argued but didn’t fight, Grady Harper testified.
“They were just dancing and cussing,” he said. After a while they walked off but didn’t get far before Allen struck Jamal Harper and knocked him into a ditch. At that point Grady Harper said he opened fire, shooting Allen four times. Bullets struck Allen in the chest, stomach, arm and hand.
Early Wednesday, Jamal Harper took the stand and testified his brother didn’t have to kill Allen. Later, Grady Harper said he felt he had to shoot Allen, that his and his brother’s lives were in danger.
“That’s when he looked at you and said ‘I’m sorry,’” Martin said to Grady Harper. “He said you didn’t have to shoot.”
“I can’t feel what he feels. I can only feel what I feel,” Harper said. “I was scared he was going to murder me and my brother. There wouldn’t be nobody to tell the story.”
Martin asked him why he fled to Savannah where he was captured several days later. People were out to get him, he said, because of the shooting.
“I wasn’t ready to lose my life,” Harper said.
The jury heard closing arguments Wednesday afternoon and will continue deliberation at 9:30 a.m.