Testimony continues today in Roosevelt Carson trial

By Katie Nichols (Contact) | Selma Times-Journal

Published Wednesday, July 29, 2009

A host of defense witnesses attempted to pinpoint a time a capital murder suspect had his hair braided, which would provide an alibi for him in the October 2005 shooting death of Anthony Sanders.

On the third day of testimony in the capital murder trial of Roosevelt Carson, the defense attempted to show there wasn’t enough time for his client to get from his cousin’s house in Orrville, where he got his hair braided, to County Road 115, also in Orrville.

Prosecutors say Sanders was shot around 8 p.m. The defense said Carson didn’t have time to pick up a co-defendant and go over to Sanders’ house and kill him during that time.

Barbara Carson, the defendant’s mother, said the family went to Selma to the Wal-Mart, then returned home before her son went to his cousin’s house.

She testified she remembered her son left shortly after 7 p.m.

John Oxford with the District Attorney’s office asked Barbara how did she know it was 7 p.m.

“I know it was about 7:10 p.m. because of a television show,” she said. “The show ‘Lost’ just started.”

On Nov. 9, 2005, “Lost” aired “Abandoned” the sixth episode of the second season.

Residents of the apartment complex also said they saw Carson that night at the house of his cousin, Savannah Tower.

Tyrome Boswell, Tower’s boyfriend, testified he saw Roosevelt that night and went to get a chair for him.

“That night he asked me is she felt like doing hair,” Boswell said. “I told him for you, yeah. It would take about an hour to an hour and a half to braid his hair like he wanted it that night.”

Boswell didn’t stay to see Roosevelt leave, but he said he thought Roosevelt got there around 7:15 p.m. and it was still somewhat light outside.

“I remember when he came it wasn’t day, but there was still some daylight,” he said. “It wasn’t quite dark yet.”

Evette Tower, a resident in the complex, also saw Roosevelt that night. She let him borrow the chair. She didn’t see Roosevelt leave that night, but said he left sometimes around 8 p.m.

“I was outside most of the time talking to my friend,” she said. “I asked her if [Savannah] was still doing Roosevelt’s hair. She said yeah. Later I went back into my place to get a cigarette. I was in there for about five minutes and when I came back out his car was gone.”

Evette said after another five minutes passed deputies cars came flying by.

Kimberly Buck, another resident in the apartment complex, said she saw Roosevelt leave at about 8:02 p.m.

“I saw him when he got there,” she said. “It was just before dark. I started cooking a little bit after he got there. When he left, I looked at my clock on the stove it said 8:02 p.m.”

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department the sun set in Orrville at 4:52 p.m. The end of civil twilight occurred at 5:18 p.m.

Civil twilight is when though the sun has officially set, there is still enough light being produced to see clearly.

On Monday, Terri Sanders, the victim’s sister, testified she saw Roosevelt and his accomplice shoot her brother.

“I came out because I heard dogs barking and heard a gunshot,” Sanders said. “When I first saw [the two men] out there I called 911. Then I went back outside and they were still there. When I saw they leaved I went in the second time and I called my mom to call 911. I told her to do that because two calls are better than one.”

Sanders received a call from a neighbor after the authorities arrived on the scene, but didn’t talk to the person except to say she couldn’t talk.

She testified she saw Carson with a small pistol demanding money from her brother. Sanders said she also saw her brother stagger into a nearby shed, and then to his mother’s house. After the shooting Sanders said the two suspects fled the scene.

“The crew ran into the woods, but I wasn’t concerned with them,” she said. “The only thing I was concerned about was my brother. I wanted to make sure he was all right.”

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