Yella Beezy trial expected to wrap up this week | Dallas News Live

The murder-for-hire trial for Yella Beezy could wrap up this week. It's expected that might happen. He's the Dallas rapper whose real name is Marquise Conway, and he's accused of hiring a hitman to kill his rival Melvin Noble, who was known by his entertainment name of Moe 3. He was shot and killed in an ambush on Interstate 35, November 11, 2020. The gunman, Keon White, was convicted of capital murder for Noble's death. So let's start off. Dallas News Live, talking with Attorney Valerie Bastin, Dallas Police Detective Eric Barnes, again today on the witness stand this morning, and then under redirect by the prosecution. What's been the focus of testimony this morning, Valerie Bastin? Well, it appears that Detective Barnes is trying to connect all the dots for the state in proving up this case. However, Attorney Shook has really been very good with his cross-examination regarding the timelines, cell phone calls, and then calls that Detective Barnes was having with one of the state's key witnesses, Theodore. Thomas, also known as Jose Bodega. Yeah, let's talk about some of that for a minute because Jose Bodega, again, Theodore Thomas, everybody involved here has more than one name. But he talked about, Detective Barnes talked about the random phone calls from Theodore Thomas in the middle of the night and at other times talking about things he needed in his personal life, problems in his personal life, talking about all of this that was happening as the first trial was taking place, right? Yes. And in addition to that, these weren't just short phone calls. These were like one phone call was, what did they say, an hour, over an hour long, like 82 minutes long. And there were multiple phone calls, which Detective Barnes did not take any notes about. Okay, no notes, the calls weren't recorded, and so it makes that difficult to actually get into testimony other than his discussing it. But I'm sure Toby Shook's attacking that. Is that right? Yes. From what I've been watching, Attorney Shook has been attacking that. The fact that he did not take notes, which being... Whether you're a prosecutor or a defense attorney, you're always looking for those detective notes that they have regarding talking to witnesses or suspects involved in a case. And for this part, there's nothing there. And I'm imagining that Toby Shook talked about all of the names that Detective Barnes mentioned. These were all people who are looking for a deal or want some kind of help From the government with the cases that they have pending on their own. Cedric Bradley as well as Theodore Thomas, correct? Correct, correct. And then what I also found interesting earlier in the testimony, the young lady that was in the car with Kiwan White, she, no one talked to her. Detectives. Detectives, police did not talk to her. And I find that unusual that they would not have talked to her. Even though, you know, people are saying, well. She may not have had much information. She was found with Mr. White leaving Dallas, leaving what was considered to be a hot location. And if I remember the video from the police on that stop as they were headed to, I believe, Arkansas, she had the little chihuahua. There was lots of money and guns in the car that was recovered when the police stopped them. So it's interesting that you say no one... Talked to her before this trial got underway. That's what I'm hearing. The testimony that's come out that Detective Barnes did not interview her and no one else from Dallas Peay. P.D. interviewed her or even Mount Pleasant P.D. that helped make this stop. Let me ask you real quick about Devin Brown. There was a video played in court of him with a lot of cash, but without audio. And last week, the defense was saying we don't want the audio to this video played. And that was a victory for them. But what does the video show and what would have been significant about what he was saying? It's it appears that maybe what he was saying could possibly hurt Marquis Conway's case, Thank you. but playing the video in of itself Just showing a bunch of money in this particular business, in this particular genre of music, rappers, artists, they do flaunt their wealth, whether they have real wealth or not, but they do try to flaunt. So playing that video to me. And, um... It doesn't really mean much because that's just kind of what goes in the hip-hop world. But it would be interesting to know what was exactly said on it. And Mr. Shook was successfully able to keep the audio out. Right. So where do you think Attorney Shook is going as the lead defense attorney as you listen to his cross-exam of Detective Eric Barnes? Where do you think he's going in the defense? Well, it appears to me that he is going in the direction that, you know, Moe Three had other enemies and Devin Brown was an enemy of Moe Three. So it's quite possible that there were other people that conspired to murder Moe Three and that his client, Marquise Conway, also professionally known as Yellow Beezy, was not involved with this. Okay, and as they break for lunch today, does Detective Barnes continue in the witness box under redirect, or is he done for now? Well, Attorney Shook will get an opportunity to do re-cross-examination of him. I don't know if he will or not, but I think today we're probably going to wrap it up with Detective Barnes. And then see, as we start this afternoon into tomorrow, the defense case and what witnesses they may call. Yes. And I saw on the defense expert witness list, they have about five or six individuals that they could possibly call as a witness. So I do see this case going to the end of the week and maybe being given over to the jury on Friday. Okay. We thank you for your insights, Valerie Batson. Thank you for looking in for us this morning and sharing with us your perspective here at Dallas News Live. Okay. Thank you so much for having me on today. Have a great day. Yes, ma'am. Thank you.