SAN ANTONIO – Key surveillance footage was shown on the first day of trial in the case of a man accused in a deadly drive-by shooting that killed a four-year-old boy.
Quentin Phillips was one of three charged with the July 19, 2017, murder of De’Earlvion Whitley.
Whitley was inside his home playing video games with his brother when more than 60 shots were fired into his home.
On the first day of Phillips’ trial, the state said De’Earlvion was shot in the head and was killed instantly.
Prosecutor James Phillips said an FBI investigation was ongoing at the time of the shooting, and surveillance was being done on a home on J Street. This was all related to gang violence going on in 2017 on the city’s East Side.
That FBI surveillance video caught the moments leading up to the shooting.
Several men — including Phillips, John Chatmon, Terrell Chase and Todd Hill — were said to be in the video by FBI special agent Mario Martin.
Martin detailed the moments an AR-15 was passed to Chase by Chatmon, and another shot shows Phillips holding a pistol.
Eventually, the video showed Phillips, Chase, Chatmon, and Hill getting into a Chevy Malibu. Phillips is seen entering the driver seat, and then the car drives off.
The state said it was at that point they believed they went to commit the drive-by shooting.
The defense did not give opening statements and will wait to present anything until the state rests.
Phillips, if found guilty, is facing up to life in prison.
Testimony is expected to continue Thursday morning in the 437th District Court.
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