HOUSTON – The trial for a 2012 slaying over a pair of Air Jordan shoes began Tuesday.
Neal Everett Bland, 20, is charged with capital murder for the death of 22-year-old Joshua Woods.
For me to meet him and see him for the first time, it just, it just gives you chills, " said Dazie Williams, Wood's mother, referring to the defendant.
The prosecution laid out its arguments in opening statements describing a robbery gone wrong.
Woods and his friend Goodwin Matthew bought a pair of highly coveted Air Jordans the day they were released on December 21, 2012. Woods had bought a pair for his sister.
When the two got back to Matthew's house a car with a group of men pulled up, including Bland, and they tried to rob Matthew of the shoes. Both Woods and Matthew took off in their car and that's when the group of men opened fire, prosecutors said.
Bland fired 14 shots from a .40 caliber handgun, one of the bullets hit Woods in the head, prosecutors said.
"It's ludicrous to think that anybody would take another human being's life over pairs of sneakers,' said community activist Deric Mohammad.
The defense declined to give an opening argument.
The prosecution called multiple law enforcement witnesses who responded to the scene and they independently described it as "chaotic."
Community leaders came together Tuesday for a news conference on the case ahead of the trial. They spoke about the violent homicide. Woods' mother also spoke about the pain her son's death has caused her and the community. She has been very vocal since the death of her son.
Williams, along with family and Mohammad expressed their pain surrounding the violence.
“My son was hard working,” said Williams. “He was a father, a brother, and a friend to many. His death impacted not only me, but an entire community. We are praying for the family of the accused killer as well. This is hard for everyone, but as a mother I have to keep fighting. I have talked to Michael Jordan and he gave his condolences and said that we would talk again but we haven’t heard anything. We would like for Nike and Michael Jordan to re-evaluate how the limited edition sneakers are released."
Williams along with community leaders are also speaking out against the dangers of youth placing materialism as an idol. She started a non-profit organization called “Life Over Fashion” in her son’s honor.
The prosecutor told Channel 2 she plans to wrap up her case by Thursday.